


Screw You, Jupiter

by Pommy



Series: Jupiter's Doll & Legolas's Rose [1]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcohol Withdrawal, Domestic Fluff, Drug Abuse, Drug Withdrawal, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gay, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Jupiter is a cutey patooty, Kinda, Kissing, Light Angst, Love, M/M, Male Slash, Manny likes food, Original Character(s), Rare Pairings, Romance, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slash, Slow Burn, The Fellowship Goes To Modern World, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Violence, Yaoi, but its minor, but not really, i guess, i just want a hella gay Legolas, idfk, not for long though, scientist, tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-24 17:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 50
Words: 224,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13816152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pommy/pseuds/Pommy
Summary: ʜɪs ᴇʏᴇ ᴛᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴀs ʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ. ʜᴇ ʜᴀs sᴇᴇɴ sᴏᴍᴇ sʜɪᴛ. ᴏʜ, ʜᴇ ʜᴀs sᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪɴɢs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs? ᴛʜɪs ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ."ᴍᴀɴɴʏ... ɪ sᴡᴇᴀʀ, ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ."ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴀ ғɪɴᴇ ᴀss ʙʟᴏɴᴅᴇ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀs sᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ, ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴛᴠ sᴄʀᴇᴇɴ."ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴜsᴛ ɪɴsᴀɴᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴄᴏsᴘʟᴀʏᴇʀs."sᴀɪᴅ ʙʀᴜɴᴇᴛᴛᴇ ʟᴀᴜɢʜᴇᴅ ɴᴇʀᴠᴏᴜsʟʏ."ᴜʜ, ʏᴇᴀʜ, ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ. ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ. ʟɪᴋᴇ, ʀᴇᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟ. ᴀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ғʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ғᴇʟʟ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴛᴠ."❦Why wasn't he surprised that this happened to his best friend? Okay, maybe he was a little surprised by the strangely attractive elf in front of him.A scientist and his gluttonous best friend meeting the Fellowship in a living room. Nothing can go wrong, right? It's not like he'll start falling for the elf... Right? Right! Because he's straight... He thinks.❦[Gay/Yaoi] (Legolas/OC)





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> I never planned on publishing this. Never ever. It was purely supposed to be for my entertainment, and remember when I said I usually practice writing by making random stories (I probably haven't but now you know)? Yeah, this is one of those out of very many. And I might regret doing this since I did it out of the spur of the moment after digging around in my room and getting nostalgic and inspired and shit like that.
> 
> I am honestly not quite sure how long it will take for me to edit each chapter. I will have to revise and rewrite many things to help the plot stay in line, and make it a bit more, y'know, not too shitty. So... yeah. Don't expect super fast updates. Don't forget that it's not finished. I might even combine some chapters if they're too short for my liking.
> 
> SO YEAH...
> 
> This is basically the Fellowship falling into the modern world. As if no one else has done that. I swear, I always go for the cliches. But either way, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> ...Did I mention that this is yaoi? As in gay? The homo?
> 
> If you didn't see it in the tags- or completely disregarded it - or even ignored the fact that I mentioned it above... and you don't like the gay... Well... The 'Go Back' button is right there on the corner of your screen. It's right there. Just one click. It's not that hard. If you don't like it, don't read it. But don't worry, constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms. I am always ready to learn and improve my writing!
> 
> I apologize ahead of time if this fanfic sucks. Or if I get the characters' personalities and shit wrong.
> 
> \- Queen Pommy
> 
> WARNING: I am not a scientist or doctor. Some medical and scientific statements throughout this fanfiction have been researched for accuracy, but most of it will be purely fiction. Thank you.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

 Manny burped after chugging the rest of the carbonated liquid crack out of a red can. Her hand clenched around it, her grip crushing it with the annoying crackle of thin aluminum caving in before tossing it on the coffee table in front of her. She picks up her bowl of cheese puffs and places it on her lap before using the remote to go through the movies on Netflix in hopes of finding another movie to watch.

It was Friday night, a perfect time for a girl like her to pull her hair up in a messy bun, slap on a nose strip, throw on her pajamas, take off her bra, eat junk food, and watch Netflix while ignoring the fact that she has homework due on Monday. She groaned in satisfaction as she sank further into the couch, continuing her search, grumbling at the sound of thunder in the distance outside.

The brunette was relieved that she was away from her fellow students at school. All she wants was to be alone, laze around, and eat... While occasionally drawing. Literally the only person, other than her family, that she allows in her life is her best friend. To anyone who had just met her, he would be at the bottom of the list of who that best friend was. All in all, the two of them go way back, so it isn't that surprising.

Licking off the cheese dust from her fingers, she stops at one particular movie. A faint smile was brought to her lips at the familiar cover. It was the first movie of her and her best friend's favorite movie trilogy. She selected it without hesitation and dropped her remote.

She popped another handful of cheesy goodness into her mouth as she listened to the elf speaking her native tongue to begin the story. Half paying attention, she briefly wondered what her bestie was doing, but scoffed at the thought. He was probably doing all types of stuff that she has repeatedly told him not to do. Maybe he was at a party, who knows?

Manny worries for him whenever she wasn't with him. His whole demeanor basically says 'Fuck you' and 'I don't care' all the time. It's surprising that he cared about her. Who would think that the popular bad boy would even glance at her direction? When he tried becoming her friend, it was the worst weeks of her life, but she will never regret giving in.

She shook her head and returned her attention to the screen, blindly setting the empty bowl down on the table. She'll just text him later to see what he's up to and invite him over. Sucking off the cheese dust from her fingers, she cringed at the scene. The Fellowship were all battling in the caves of Moria and it was almost time for...  _that_ scene.

Yes, she knows that Gandalf lives, but the look of despair on everyone else... It was just too real. After watching the movie a couple of times it wasn't until then did it really hit her that Gandalf was a close friend to the majority of the Fellowship. For  _years_. It made her tear up imagining how it would feel to lose her only friend and it was not pleasant.

The can in her hands hissed after being opened before it's contents were promptly chugged. Her diet was atrocious. If it weren't for her friend, she would probably have diabetes by now, so to compliment the atrocity she is simply disgusting. She was grosser than her  _male_ best friend. Especially during the summer. She just sat all day and got... gross. Time seems to fly by when she's watching shows and reading fanfictions. Not to mention her home, it was a mess. Clothes scattered in her room, empty bags of chips at random places... At least she does the dishes.

Manny was just glad that she managed to get her own apartment to escape the constant pestering of her family about her hygiene and cleanliness, she gets enough of that from her best friend. The movie moved onto them all on the run from the Balrog, then to Gandalf fighting it off.

She sighed as the wizard fell. She hates how this scene was turned into a meme, because it's genuinely horrifying. Frodo's expression after it absolutely crushed her and she wanted nothing more than to give him a bear hug.

Taking another sip as they ran, Manny nearly choked on her carbonated drink when the windows flashed a bright light before there was a deafening rumble of thunder that was too close for comfort. She then stared blankly at her now shut off TV, "...Great."

She jumped again when electricity buzzed over the screen, turning it back on. Only that it wasn't back to the movie, it was a blinding light. Covering her eyes with one hand, she tried to process what was happening, but she came to a blank.

Manny heard several thumps and... And voices. Did someone break in?! As soon as the light settled down, she removed her hand only for her to stare dumbly at what was presented in front of her with wide eyes.

"What... What happened?"

"G-Gandalf... He..."

"Mister Frodo, are you alright?"

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to do other than to do what any sane person would do at this very moment. Scream.

The hobbits were the only ones to scream back, all of them finally noticing her presence as she promptly freaked out. The brunette did not feel bad for making them nearly deaf. Once she and the four were out of breath from screaming, she slowly stood up, "Oh... my God. Oh, God."

"My Lady, we apologize for frightening you, but will you be so kind as to tell us where we are?" The calmest one of them all, who she instantly recognized as Aragorn, asked her.

Manny then noticed that all of their weapons were out, wary of her. Gulping, she weighed her options. Either to tell them the truth, lie, or run. Well, she sucks at lying, and if she ran they'll probably end up chasing her... So that left the truth.

Then the logical side of her mind kicked in. She was probably hallucinating, it made absolute sense right now. How and why the heck would characters from a  _freaking_  movie fall out of her  _freaking_ TV? She pinched herself several times. Oh no, she can still feel pain. So if this really is real... she needed to tell them the truth, she had no choice. "You're in my apartment. My home." She said shakily.

"Do ya know how we got here?" The dwarf asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

She quickly shook her head, "No! I-I was just sitting here and... and then..." She took a deep breath, "Listen. I'm just as confused as you are, and I still have no clue whether or not this is a dream."

"I do not understand." The elf lowered his bow as he began to realize that she was completely harmless, "Where are we exactly?"

"You're in California... In other words, you're not in Middle-Earth anymore." Manny then chuckled humorlessly, "This is just insane! What is this, some crappy fanfic?"

"No longer in Middle-Earth?" Boromir said incredulously, "That can't be! Who are you?"

"Just one of the millions of fans you all have." She said, giving them a leveled look, "In this world, Earth, you're all only fictional characters in books."

"Fictional characters?!" An enraged expression was immediately on Boromir's face, pointing his sword threateningly, "Do you take us for fools? Tell us the truth!"

"I'm not kidding, I swear!" She held up her hands before pointing at the screen behind them, "Look for yourselves! I was just watching the movie based off the books!"

They all slowly turned, gasping at the paused footage. Pippin and Merry got close enough to the screen to the point where it would definitely damage their eye sight if they stayed there for too long. "That's me! Merry, that's me!"

"Me too! Frodo, and everyone! When..." Merry's voice trailed off and the atmosphere turned somber.

Manny frowned, lowering her hands as she watched them all sag as the news settled in. It must have been overwhelming to all of them. First, their friend dies and the next second they're literally worlds away from their home.

With all of this crashing down onto them in a matter of seconds, she couldn't imagine how lost they felt. Her eyes trailed over to Frodo who held a devastated expression that broke her heart. Manny had a soft spot for the hobbit, she admired him greatly for the will he has and how strong his spirit was. Yes, there may have been times where he slipped, but he always manages to pick himself back up at one point.

A rush of determination went through her. Usually, she would brush off other people's problems. She never wanted to be involved in their business, but these people... They were struggling and she felt the need to do something. "I can help you."

The Fellowship all directed their attention back to Manny, who was no longer trembling from the aftermath of the scare. "How can we trust you?" Legolas said, covering up his expression.

"If you walk out that door, you will have no idea where to go. In this world, everything is different. If people find out you're from Middle-Earth, who knows what will happen?" She said, "I want to help all of you get back, and my friend might be able to figure out how."

They all looked at each other, as if telepathically talking to each other. Aragorn then turned to her, "It seems that we have no other choice than to trust you, My Lady."

"Okay, first of all, none of that lady stuff, just call me Manny." She said as she picked up her phone and tapped on it with her thumb.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked.

"Calling my friend. He'll know what to do... Hopefully." She answered, holding it up to her ear. Manny then drank the rest of the contents of her soda can, crushed it in her hand and tossed it onto the table as she waited for the other to pick up.

* * *

 In an ominous, dark bedroom, two computer screens were the only light source. The desk not only held the flat screens, keyboard, and mouse, but also a teen sat in the chair in the middle of it all. A pleased smirk was on his face as he leaned back in his seat.

After who knows how long, he finally got his week late essay done. He may get fifty percent off, but it was better than getting a zero. Adjusting his glasses he straightened up and sent the essay to his teacher's email before clicking on an icon. He swiped his PS4 controller from the edge of his desk, ready to virtually shoot people's heads off.

At this hour he would usually be out partying with people he barely remembered the names of let alone their faces, but he didn't feel like it tonight. He just wanted to get his homework done and relax while he doesn't have work.

He huffed in annoyance when his game was rudely interrupted by his phone vibrating in his pocket. He paused it before pulling it out of his jacket to check the caller ID. He was pleased to find that it was someone he was meaning to call in an hour or so, after all, he hasn't heard from her since lunch at school.

Sliding his thumb over the screen, he held it up to his ear, "Hey."

" _Hey, bestie! So, uh... Can you come over?_ "

He rose an eyebrow at the sound of her voice. He briefly wondered why she was nervous, "Now? Why?"

" _Just-_ " She sighed, " _Just come over quick! It's important!_ "

"Fine, you damn spaz, I'm going. I'll be there in a few, see ya." After hanging up, he shoots out of his seat and jogged down the stairs, and to the front door. He made sure to grab his keys before leaving, deciding to go on his motorcycle rather than his car since it was faster.

As he sped through the road whilst ignoring cars honking at him, he felt worry bubble within him. Usually, when his friend gets like this, something bad has happened. So all types of scenarios were going through his head. Did a robber break in? An old enemy luring him in? He hoped that it was just her panicking over her laptop that suddenly won't turn back on. God only knows how many times she had flipped out over not being able to read any fanfictions.

The crimson-haired teen managed to arrive at the apartment building sooner than he had expected. Hopping off of the vehicle, he turned his hat backwards as he made his way into the building.

After buzzing in, it didn't take long for him to end up in front of a door among others with the number plate '801' on top of it. He knocked on the door and shoved his hands into his pockets.

He was really itching for a cigarette right now, but his friend's safety was more important than a quick smoke. She should feel special since he would never break the speed limit for anyone else if they practically demand him to go to their place. He doesn't give a shit about anyone other than her and another despite common belief.

The door swung open to reveal a frazzled brunette. He smirked at the girl in front of her who had crumbs on the corner of her mouth, and was clad in her pajamas - which consisted of one of his shirts that she stole and sweat pants. He scanned her up and down openly. "You called, sexy?"

Manny rolled her eyes, "Don't even start, nerd. Come in." She stepped away from the door, and allowed him to enter her home as she quickly slammed the door closed and went in front of him. "Okay, before I show you this, you swear to help me deal with it?"

He was not impressed, "Manny... Don't tell me you got pregnant."

"Wha- Freaking, Christ, dude! I'm still pure, thank you very much, but can you please be serious? I'm still freaking out about this and-"

"Manny, are you alright?"

...What is he looking at?... What exactly is he  _looking_ at?

"Crap, guys, didn't I tell you to wait?"

His eye twitched violently as he stared at the group. He has seen some shit. Oh, he has seen a lot of things, but this? This he was never prepared for. "Manny... I swear, if you're fucking with me right now." He was especially not prepared to see a fine ass blonde among the group that he has seen many, many times on a TV screen. "Please tell me that they're all just insanely dedicated cosplayers."

Said brunette laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah, I'm not. They're real. Like,  _real_ real. As in they freaking fell out of my TV."

After that statement, he simply just stared. It was  _freaky_. He didn't want to believe it, he really didn't, but after pinching himself in the arm multiple times he confirmed that he was not in fact hallucinating or dreaming. Hence, he will now silently stand there while staring in a daze as he internally screeched.

"Jupiter? Jupiter, snap out of it!" Manny shook his shoulder roughly. She sighed and looked at the now slightly worried group with a smile, "Sorry... He's in love with the books and movies, so I think you guys sort of broke him."

"Is he well?" Legolas questioned in concern.

She waved it off, "Oh yeah! Just give me one second." She then turned back to her best friend. Cracking her knuckles, she then gave her hand a long lick before whipping it across his face.

The Fellowship gasped or winced at the sound of a slap echoing off the walls. Jupiter hissed and held his cheek that was now as red as his hair, "Ow! Did you just bitch slap me?" He said incredulously.

"Would you rather get kicked in the nuts?" She fired back.

"Crazy bitch..." He grumbled, narrowly dodging a punch from the enraged girl. It wasn't quite over yet, so her best friend decided to pick his friend up and throw her onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

As she hissed insults to him while hitting his back, he rushed out a few words to the new occupants, telling them that they needed to discuss something privately. He stepped into the kitchen and dropped her back down onto her feet. He quickly glanced behind him before looking back down at Manny, whispering harshly, "Do you seriously think I'd fall for another of your stupid pranks?! I'll admit, this one is good and you got me for a second, but you can't have grown ass men you don't know in your house!"

"You think this is a prank?" Manny laughed incredulously, "You know for a fact that I'm not  _this_  good. Jupiter, I swear to you, I was literally just watching the first movie of Lord of the Rings, my place blacked out for a second, and then the TV did this freaky bright light thing!-"

"Okay, okay, stop freaking out!" He raised his hands defensively and glanced behind him again.

She repeatedly slapped his arms and chest as she hissed, "Don't tell me to stop freaking out! God dang characters from a movie came out of my  _TV_! Are you hearing the words coming out of my mouth?!"

"Fine! Fine, I believe you, now just... calm down." He attempted at whispering soothingly to her as she glared at him in clear frustration. He did not want to anger her considering she hits  _hard_. "Alright, so let me get this straight. To put it simply, the Fellowship got transported into our world via your TV."

This time she didn't bother lowering her voice as she threw up her hands, "Yes! That's what I've been trying to tell you, you idiot!"

He scowled, "Oh, because people just fall out of TVs all the time. Yeah, the news anchor this morning climbed out of mine to tell me that it was gonna storm tonight."

Manny let out an irritated noise before grabbing his arm and leading him back out into the living room where everyone stood awkwardly. Merry and Pippin specifically were standing suspiciously, looking around the room while whistling. She pushed him in front of her, "Everyone, this annoying creep is my friend, Jupiter. Jupiter... You already know who they are."

"Hi..." The red head drawled out awkwardly before sighing and shaking his head, "Nope. I can't do this. This is too weird."

"Don't make me guilt trip you." She threatened, elbowing his side, earning her a hiss.

"Manny told us that you are able to help us." Frodo spoke up, "We do not know how or why we were placed here. She offered her kindness and the both of you are our only hope of ever returning to Middle-Earth."

"Me?" He pointed at himself, "Figure out how to get all of you back? I'm sorry, I like all of you as much as Manny does, but that's impossible."

Jupiter and everyone in the room were startled when Manny grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to her level to growl at him, "Listen, all of them just went through hell. They're tired, injured, hungry, and lost a  _friend_. So either help them with that genius mind of your's or get castrated."

He stared blankly back at her as everyone simply watched. They were not exactly sure what to do, but they were surprised by how determined the girl was. She had only just met them, yet she was willing to go this far to help them and erased anymore doubts they had about her being untruthful.

A smirk slowly rose it's way up to Jupiter's face, "Hm... So you care for them that much? I'm hurt, sweet cheeks."

Her eyes widen in realization, "You son of a-"

"You're too gullible. As if I would miss an opportunity like this." He easily ripped out of her grip and approached the group. The Fellowship felt uneasy by the sight of his empty smirk. His eyes scanned over each and every one of them before his eyes finally stopped on Legolas, "Interesting..."

"Jupiter, they're not lab rats." Manny reminded.

He ignored her, "This isn't going to work. All of you will be staying at my house. It's bigger and I have spare clothes that will fit all of you."

"So you will help us?" Pippin said excitedly.

Amusement sparkled in his gold eyes, seemingly having gotten over the fact that characters from Lord of the Rings were standing in his best friend's living room, "Yeah." He turns to the brunette, "Wait here, I'm getting my car. I'll be back in ten minutes."

* * *

 As planned, Jupiter had quickly arranged for them all to be transferred to his house. His lady friend's apartment could barely fit her own family in there when they had helped her move in, so ten more people was pushing it. Fortunately, his house was big enough for them to wander around and had guest rooms for them to sleep in.

The teen had went back to his house to retrieve his black Honda, which can fit four people including the driver, five if you squeezed in. Manny would be in charge of taking the other half in her own car that can seat around the same amount.

As the red head kicked open his door while twirling his key chain on his finger, he lead the Fellowship in the two story house, "I only have a couple of rules. Don't touch anything in my kitchen unless you have my permission, other than snacks. Don't make a mess - Manny does enough of that." He ignored said brunette crying "Hey!" indignantly, "And don't ever go inside my room or my lab without permission."

He then turned to face them, stopping in the middle of the living room. "Other than that, mi casa es su casa and all that junk. Make yourself at home."

"I must thank you, Jupiter, for allowing us to stay in your home." Legolas said sincerely, "If there is anything we can do to repay you..."

The red head slowly trailed his eyes over to him, "You can all repay me by being my guinea pigs."

Manny was quick to punch the back of his head and he winced, scowling as he took off his hat to rub the spot on his head where a bump will surely form. "Don't scare them, nerd. I'm sorry, he means to let him do his magic on you so he can figure out how to get you guys back home."

"Magic?" Sam's eyes lit up, "You know magic?"

"It's a figure of speech." He explained quickly, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "Manny, take the hobbits to the two guest rooms on this floor. They would prefer not to go any further up than this floor. I will take the rest upstairs. Show them how the shower works. I'll bring some of my old clothes for them to wear."

"Don't boss me around." She grumbled as she motioned for the four hobbits to follow her down the hall.

Then there were five.

Jupiter turned back to the two men, dwarf, and elf. A smirk slid back on his face as he returned his hat to it's rightful place, covering the wild red, "I don't have all night. Let's go."

As they followed him up the stairs, Aragorn couldn't help but ask, "You truly know who we are?"

"Yes, Aragorn, I know. After all, I have admired all of you for quite a long time. I'm not shy to admit it like Manny." He lead them into a guest room down the hall, "I might as well show you all how to use the shower, so gather around my dear guinea pigs, it's time you learn about the wonders of shampoo and conditioner."

It took longer than they both thought to get them out of their dirty clothes, bathe, and get clothed in fresh new ones. The Fellowship were relieved by this, even when they had partially struggled with the strange, yet amazing, contraption that either rained down cold or hot water. It was an experience that they surely would never forget. Now, they were all gathered in the living room sitting on either the couch or love seats, but the men and elf stayed standing.

Jupiter and Manny stood in front of them all, the taller of the two with a clipboard in his hand and a pencil in the other. "Now, before you guys eat, I'm going to need to do some quick tests on each of you." He explains, "The procedure is simple. I will ask a few questions, do a full physical exam, and do a few other examinations."

"Why is this necessary? We are all well." Boromir inquired, seeming unsure by his words.

The corner of his lip quirked up. "There are things that I need to know, even if you are perfectly healthy. Now, who wants to go first?"

"You're not a doctor." Manny told him flatly.

"I never said I was. I just know a little too much about certain things, that's all." He said cryptically.

"I will go first."

The red head perked up, his eyes shifting over to the blonde elf who had spoken up with a confidence in his voice. "Good, let's go. Manny, entertain our guests for me."

"For the last time, I am not your maid!"

He only snickered as the two of them disappeared into the hallway. It didn't take long for them to silently approach a metal door at the end of it with a keypad on the wall and rapidly pressed various numbers before the door unlocked with a click. Legolas lingered at the door for a moment, staring at the device, before following him inside. They went down a small flight of stairs before entering a dark room.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

 Jupiter flicked the switch to turn on the lights and he nearly snorted when the elf jumped, looking around him in awe. He blindly gestured to a direction as he went to a coat hanger connected to the stone wall by the doorway, "Have a seat on the exam table." He had set it up while everyone was showering and was glad that he had a reason to use it now.

Legolas gave him a silent nod. He watched him for a moment as he pulled off his hoodie to reveal a regular shirt and took off a white lab coat from the hanger, replacing it's spot with the hoodie before putting the coat on. The elf quickly made his way to the table and sat on it reluctantly. His eyes darted around the room in fascination.

Lining the far right of the room were marble counters that were sparkling clean with strange mechanisms on it and a chair with wheels in front of it. Above it were cabinets that held unknown objects and a shelf below it lined with glass bottles shaped strangely. The other side of the room had many shelves and cabinets as well, though they were all not connected and were separated. He can see what was there, which were bottles of unknown substances with labels that had neat writing. At the very front were desks connected together with things that reminded him much of a smaller version of what Jupiter and Manny had called a 'TV'. The other machinery was extremely foreign to him and his eyes only lingered on it for a moment before it trailed over to a few papers scattered on the desk. The last thing that interested him was the large green rectangle pushed against the wall with white writing sloppily written on it and the two doors on either side of the room.

Jupiter returned with something hanging around his neck and was rolling a stool over with him. He sat down on it with a sigh in front of him, "Alright, let's start with a few quick questions. Is that alright with you?" He received a small nod. Huh, Legolas was quieter than he thought he would be. "Any past medical problems? Like any illnesses?"

"No, elves do not get ill." He answered straight away.

He quickly jotted something down on his clipboard and Legolas noticed how his eyes looked brighter when he had answered. Did he not know this already? "From one to ten, how much pain are you currently in? One is you feel no pain and ten is basically 'I feel like I'm gonna die'."

Legolas could not help himself from having the faintest of smiles due to the explanation, but as quick as it appeared, it disappeared, returning to a stone blank expression. "One."

Jupiter instantly snapped his eyes up at him from his clipboard. He took a deep breath, adjusting his black thick-rimmed glasses, "I don't appreciate lying when I am doing an examination."

The elf blinked in surprise, wondering how he could have possibly known. He felt his wounds throbbing in pain from the battle he had just went through, though they were only cuts and bruises that would heal by the next day. "...Two."

Accepting it, he wrote it down. "Are you sexually active?"

"Pardon?" Legolas choked, eyes wide.

"Are you sexually active?" He repeated, "Legolas, I know it's personal, but I have to know. I need all the information I can get, even if it's irrelevant to what we're trying to figure out, so you'll have to go through questions like these. What I know of is extremely limited, so I'm starting from scratch."

Jupiter tried his hardest not to snicker at the sight of his ears turning a startling red as he fidgeted in his seat. He gave him a reassuring look, "Personal questions like these stay in this lab."

It took a long moment before he quietly answered, "No. I have not bonded with anyone."

There was no trace of sadness on his face, but there was an underlying tone of it in his voice whether he realizes it or not. Jupiter felt empathy swirl in him as he quickly wrote on the clipboard. With that, they continued with the questions. There were only a couple more personal ones that they had trouble going through before speeding through the rest.

Jupiter nodded in satisfaction, "Great. That's all I need for the moment. Now take your shirt off." He rolled his eyes at the look he was given, "I need to do a physical exam, I'll patch you up as I do so." He wandered off to his desk to grab a first aid kit.

When he returned, Legolas had taken off the shirt that was given to him. His steps faltered for a moment at the sight of his flawless pale skin, but he quickly shook himself out of his daze. He set down his clipboard on the stool and stepped closer to the elf, also setting the kit on the exam table before taking off the stethoscope hanging around his neck to show Legolas. "This is a stethoscope. It'll let me hear your heart beat and breathing."

"How?" Was his immediate question.

Jupiter smirked, "I'm afraid that'll be an explanation for another time." He put on the earpieces and pressed the metal disk against his chest, "Now breath in deeply, then out."

He continued on with this and did what any doctor would do for a check up. Checking blood pressure, reflex, and so on and so forth. They had a bit of trouble with checking his ears, but they managed to get through it. Each time he would finish a task, he would write it down.

"Okay, you can put your shirt back on." Jupiter sighed, finishing rubbing ointment to sooth his cuts and bruises, "One more thing and we'll be finished. Follow me." He pulled his stool back over to the computers and Legolas swiftly slid his clothing back on before falling after him. He was gestured to sit in the computer chair as the red head turned on the computer.

Jupiter pulled the digital microscope towards him in preparation along with two other small devices, and hand sanitizing wipes in small packets. As he prepared everything, he said, "This is the last and worst part out of all of this. This-" He holds up one of the small devices, "Shows your iron levels. Not the iron you're thinking, the iron that all of our bodies need. And this-" He holds up the other one, "Shows your blood sugar. It's vital for our bodies and at a normal level, helps fight off diseases."

Legolas nodded, listening intently to his explanation, but there was one thing that confused him. "That doesn't seem like the worst part out of all of this." His mind unwillingly went back to the embarrassing questions he had to answer.

He smirked, "That's because I need some of your blood."

"My... blood." The elf repeats.

"Yes." Jupiter didn't even flinch at the look he was given, "Not only is it important to see where your health stands and if anything is off about it that's similar to the others', it'll be interesting to see what Elves red and white blood looks like."

Legolas made to protest, unwilling to give his  _blood_  to a stranger. Nonetheless a mortal. But he quickly shut his mouth as he remembered what situation he was in. Looking around him and listening to this man in front of him, he can understand why Manny had immediately called him to help. He was intelligent, so far having no problem with explaining each thing he did to him in order for him to understand. This did not mean he trusts him, but he was willing to do anything to bring them all back to Middle-Earth. Even if it is to give up some of his blood.

The shorter of the two brightened when he nodded his consent, his eyes sparkling in excitement. Legolas was not sure whether he should be scared or not. "We'll start slow, okay?" He pulled on a pair of latex gloves that he had gotten from his drawer. He ripped open one of the alcohol strips and gently took his hand in his to disinfect his finger, "I'm going to use something called a lancing device. It'll prick your finger enough to give me a few drops of blood and it barely hurts."

The elf simply watched as he took a hold of the lancing device and pressed it against his finger before pushing down. Legolas blinked, having felt nothing more than a pinch and watched as he pressed around the tiny wound to draw out blood. He used both of the gadgets that measure his iron and glucose levels before setting them aside, swiftly wrapping his finger into a band-aid.

"That wasn't too bad." Legolas stated, pleased with how quick it was.

"Oh, we're not done yet." Jupiter tried hard not to snicker as he held up a prepackaged, unused butterfly needle, "I still need enough blood to test and examine it more thoroughly."

Remember when he had questioned himself if he should be scared by the expression on his face? Now he was most definitely sure he should be. At this point, he has given up protesting and resorted to muttering, "Do what you must."

"Don't worry, I've done this to Manny a couple of times when she got really sick." He told him as he picked up the tourniquet, pushing up the other's short sleeve in order to tightly tie it around his arm. After sanitizing the inside of his elbow, he prepared the butterfly needle that already had the end connected to collect the blood, "It doesn't hurt as much as you think, but it feels a bit weird. Now clench your hand into a fist."

Legolas obeyed and Jupiter faltered for a moment at the sight of his muscles flexing, but he quickly turned his attention back to finding a vein, which was not hard. Without any warning, he careful inserted the needle and he flinched. Jupiter shook his head slightly at the sight of him staring at the blood flowing through the thin tube. "Will you do this to the others?" Jupiter only nodded. They fell into a comfortable silence, the both of them watching his blood being collected.

"Your eyes and hair..." The red head looked up at his words and cocked an eyebrow at how intensely he was staring at him, "I have never, in the thousands of years I have lived, seen colors such as those from a man."

"Blame my genetics." He grumbled as he turned his gaze back to the butterfly needle, a bit disgruntled, "At least you can tell it's not fake." And it was a perfectly reasonable thing to think considering no one's natural hair color isn't as red as the blood he was drawing out of the elf nor are anyone's eyes the color of a deep gold. Well, unless he was unaware of someone having those things. His birth parents surely had these features so there should at least be one other person in the world that has gold eyes.

It only took a few more minutes before he untied the tourniquet. Gauze prepared, he pressed it over the needle before pulling it out and setting it aside. He secured the gauze with medical tape before patting his knee, "You did great. Now get the hell out of my lab and have Manny bring the next one in."

Though what he said was rude, Legolas clearly saw the teasing smirk on his face and simply gave a roll of his eyes before going back the way he had came. Ignoring the light throb in his arm as he quickly returned to the living room, he furrowed his brows as he heard chatter coming from it.

"Do you have an Ace of Hearts?"

"Wha- You cheated! It's impossible that you are getting this many, Pippin!"

"Well, have you considered that it is because I am just good at this game, Merry?"

"Boys, boys, c'mon, it's just a game..."

Legolas entered the room and simply stared at what was in front of him. Everyone was gathered around the coffee table that had cards placed on it, couches and chairs pulled closer to it. They all held various amounts of cards in their hands and were all trying hard not to laugh at the small argument between the two hobbits. The sight gave him the smallest of smiles, glad that all of their minds were taken off of what had happened merely hours ago.

"Legolas, my friend!" Aragorn noticed him and all attention turn towards him, "You have returned."

"Oh for the love of-" Manny groaned when she noticed the gauze and band-aid, "He took a sample of your blood didn't he?"

"Blood?" Frodo's brows rose to his hairline, his form tensing beside the girl, "Why would he do that?"

"He wanted to see if there were any... changes to it. It was also to make sure I was healthy. He will explain it to you once it is your turn. Speaking of which, he informed me to tell Manny to bring the next person."

"Changes my butt. I bet he wanted to see if there's anything freaky going on with your blood. Don't be surprised if he asks to take more so he can experiment on it, that freak..." She sighed and stands up, "Alright, who wants to go into Jupiter's dungeon next?"

The dwarf immediately stood before anyone else could and Manny nodded, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. He definitely stood up due to his little rivalry with the elf, keeping up a front that he too wasn't reluctant or nervous to go.

* * *

It took a couple of hours to go through the rest of the Fellowship. It took some struggling with Boromir and the Hobbits, but with a little influencing, Jupiter had managed to get everything he needed. He had all of his observations of each person organized and it took him extra time to do a quick look on each person's blood. The results he had discovered were enough for him to finally emerge from the lab and into the living room, clipboard in hand. Surprisingly enough, they were all still going strong on card games and were currently playing poker.

Manny looks up from her cards in time for him to enter, "So the demon finally emerges from his dungeon."

"Whatever." He grumbled as all eyes turn to him and he went around the table so he was facing all of his guests, "I have the results, so you better be listening. I'm not repeating myself after this."

They all put down the cards that were in their hands, giving him their full attention. He scanned their faces. Some worried, some hopeful, they were mostly mixed. Clearing his throat, he scans the first paper, "Overall, from the questions I've asked you, it didn't affect your presence here. I also asked each of you the last thing you remembered and it was overall the same, a bright light as you all ran out of Moria. Not sure what it means, but I'm keeping that in mind. Now onto your physicals and blood tests..."

The Fellowship and Manny watched him flip the page, "Legolas. Your blood sugar and iron level is normal. Your physical was perfect as well. Gimli. Your levels are normal as well with your physical, but for someone your height I would recommend to drop a couple of pounds, but the added weight is from muscle so you're fine." The corners of his lips twitched when he heard the mischievous hobbits snicker to themselves. "Aragorn. Your blood sugar is a bit low, but your iron is normal. Physical was fine. Boromir. You're perfectly fine, but you're bordering from having low blood sugar as well. Pippin and Merry, the both of you are surprisingly fine. Sam, you too. Actually, taking a closer look now, it looks like the hobbits and dwarf have grown quite a bit to pass as extremely short men. I'll look into that later. And Frodo..."

Jupiter took a deep breath, shaking his head slightly, "Blood sugar and iron are low. Due to this, you feel a bit weaker than usual and more tired. When the troll had hit you, it formed a nasty bruise on your abdomen. Your abdominal organs are bruised from it, so you'll be sore for a while. And like everyone, other than Legolas, you're sleep deprived."

"I didn't... Do I really?..." Frodo tried to say something, confusion written on his face and Manny placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't panic. It's nothing serious. Your blood sugar and iron levels can be because of what you eat, but I doubt it. It can be because of many things, but I know for sure it's because of stress. Luckily, it can be fixed if you eat certain foods to increase them." The hobbit nodded slowly to his words, a frown etched on his face as he realized what was causing his stress.

"What did you do to our blood? Surely, you have found something in it." Sam spoke up from beside him, he too seeming worried for his friend.

"Oh, yeah! I've found something really interesting. Manny, take a look." He plucked out a thin pile of papers and passed them to her.

She looked through each one, her brows furrowing. They then shot up. "They all look... The same. Well, except these two."

Jupiter plucked out the two she had pointed at from her hands, "Exactly. Legolas's blood cells have this thin, strong layer surrounding it. Protecting it. I'll look into it more later and mess around with it, but that's not the point. And Frodo, because of his iron level, his red blood cell count has decreased slightly and there are a bit more white blood cells because of his injuries."

"I... do not understand." Aragorn said, "You have spoken of these 'blood cells' before."

"Yes, it's in your blood. I'll explain some other time, I'm just rambling at this point."

"Good, now can we eat? I'm starving!" Manny whined a bit, slumping back in the couch.

"Go starve."

"Wha- Hey! Get back here! Ugh, he's such a jerk."

"He's very unkind to you, Manny..." Frodo said worriedly as he watched him disappear back into the hallway, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't hear him.

Manny sighed and shook her head, "It's nothing like that. That's Jupiter being Jupiter. Trust me, I've been with him for years and we've always been mean to each other like that. And don't get the impression that he hates all of you because he doesn't."

She opened her mouth again to continue after seeing all of their disbelieving faces, but the subject of their conversation appeared again but this time he no longer wore his lab coat and his hoodie was back in place. He silently went into a different room and a few moments later they heard the sound of something being chopped up. Manny gave them all a triumphant look that pretty much said, 'I told you so.'

* * *

As Jupiter was bustling around in the kitchen, Manny took it up to herself to explain other things that they questioned to keep them occupied a little longer. First being the TV, that was easy to do after showing them how it worked. Then to cars which, by the way, took them nearly half an hour to get into at the apartment. It went around to things involving electricity, and then they managed to find their way to...  _iPhones_.

"This is witchcraft!" Gimli cried as they all watched the girl move items around on the phone.

"How is this possible?" Legolas questioned, as thoroughly confused as everyone else.

She moved onto her photo album, showing pictures of mostly her and Jupiter. "There is this type of sensory device in it that senses your finger. I don't know how to explain it, but it's not magic. Just advanced technology that has developed over the years. It can take pictures, videos, you can have games on it, call and message people, and social media."

"Games?" Merry repeated.

"Yeah. All kinds."

Aragorn too was amazed, weariness easing away after listing what it was used for, "This eye-phone is extraordinary. It makes communication much easier and swifter."

Manny sat stiff as they gaped in awe, becoming well aware of how close a certain Hobbit was at her side. Their arms just barely grazed, but it was enough for her to be much more aware of their proximity. It didn't help that instead of looking at the phone, he mostly just stared at her, soaking in each word that came out of her mouth.

She cleared her throat and stood up abruptly, "I'm going to check on Jupiter. You can watch a show or something."

"Manny, may I continue looking at your pictures?" The elf asked before she took a step.

The brunette looked at him to find that he was sorta... Fidgety per say. As if just asking to look at the photos was suspicious to him. She nodded and went back to her album before handing the phone to him. He gave her a smile of thanks before she went off.

"That was weird." She muttered lowly to herself, then shrugged. Manny didn't have anything that he can potentially ruin by accident. She didn't have Twitter or Instagram, so she doesn't really care as long as he doesn't drop it and break it beyond repair.

She walked into the kitchen to find her guy friend tasting the soup with a separate spoon before sprinkling in some type of seasoning. "Hey." She stood beside him, peering into the pot.

"Hi..." He muttered absentmindedly, tasting the soup again before nodding to himself and returning to stir it.

"Smells good." She complimented with a grin, "Say, I was thinking, we're gonna have to teach them a lot of things. Like how this society works, how the toilet works..."

Jupiter scowled at the thought, "Guess so. I'll handle the whole toilet thing. Tomorrow we should get them some clothes, they can't keep wearing my old ones."

"Ditto." She then lowered her voice, "What about the Ring?"

He paused mid-stir, but then resumed the motions. "We'll talk to him alone about it when we get the chance. We can hide it somewhere safe until they have to leave."

"Speaking of leaving, do you have any idea how the hell to get them back so far? They can't stay here forever. I mean, doesn't that put the universe in an imbalance or some shiz like that?"

"No clue. You'll be sleeping in my room, so you can tell me the story from the very beginning before we go to bed."

"Ew, I have to share the bed with you? Gross."

"Despite the rumors, I'm not a fuckboy, Manny. Other than porn and your's, I have never come face to face with a vagina."

At the reminder her eyes blew wide in horror as she flushed, "Oh God, don't ever remind me of that. That was way too embarrassing."

"Oh c'mon, it wasn't that bad. I'll show you my dick if it'll make you feel better."

"Shut up. Shut up right now or else I'll shove your head into that ding-dang soup."

"Sheesh, it wasn't like I got a boner or anything. It's creepy thinking of you in that way, no offense." He rolled his eyes, turning down the flame of the stove. "Tell everyone food's ready. I already set up the table."

"Okay. Oh, and by the way, I wouldn't get wet for your pee-pee either."

"Thanks."

"Match made in heaven." She laughed, shaking her head as she went to the living room to relay the announcement.

It wasn't until everyone had seconds and the pot had not even a drop left did Jupiter decide that they go to bed early. After putting all of the dishes in the sink, he asked who were sleeping in which rooms to keep a mental note of it. The hobbits were downstairs; Merry and Pippin in one, and Sam and Frodo in the other. Gimli and Legolas took the room upstairs that had a large bed, and Boromir and Aragorn took the other room with two beds.

By the end when everyone decided where they were going to sleep, Jupiter told them one last thing. "If you need anything, knock on my door. It's at the end of the hall upstairs on the left. Manny and I will be sleeping in there."

At this statement, they all became much more alert and practically whipped their heads toward them. "The both of ya?" The dwarf repeated, "Alone?"

"Uh... Yeah? Is that a problem?" Manny said.

Aragorn raises his brows, "Is it not indecent?"

The two friends looked at each other for an uncomfortably long time before simultaneously snorting. Quickly concealing their laughter, Jupiter decided to explain, "Manny and I are close friends. In this world it's pretty normal for two friends like us to do it, no matter what gender. It's not like I'm gonna jump her..." He then looked over at the older girl slyly, "...Unless she wants me to."

In response, she landed a rather hard punch to his arm, "Pervert."

"You wound me." He said in a monotone before giving them all a two finger salute, "G'night."

They all returned his farewell, still apprehensive by their hosts' sleeping arrangements, and went to their new rooms.

"I'm gonna take a piss." Jupiter instantly said as soon as they entered, making a b-line to the bathroom door.

Manny scrunched up her nose in disgust, "Ew, TMI."

He rolled his eyes, knowing for a fact that she didn't care and was much too use to his bluntness. Shutting and locking the door behind him, he went over to the sink to look at himself in the mirror. Today was... interesting to say the last.

He woke up, ate, and picked up Manny. Went to school. Slept through his classes. Went home. Finished his essay. Played video games. Got a call from Manny. Went to her place to find out that she wasn't freaking out over a robber, but fictional characters appearing in her living room. Turns out that it wasn't a scarily good prank she pulled. Took them all to his house. Did tests on them. And then fed them.

Wait...

Oh my God.

Holy shit.

The holiest of all shits.

The Fellowship were in his  _house_. They were here, in the flesh, in his  _house_. The hobbit that Manny loves with all her heart is in his  _house_. The elf that had made panties drop all around the world is in his  _house_.

He hurriedly unlocked and swung the door open again just in time for Manny to drop her pajamas with a choked squeak coming out of her. It seems like he wasn't the only one that finally let it sink into his mind.

* * *

Frodo frowned, glaring up at the ceiling from where he laid on the bed beside his close friend. "I do not like Jupiter." He grumbled.

The dirty blonde hobbit sighed, flipping onto his back to look at the ringbearer, "You have said that three times already, Mister Frodo." He then copied him and looked up at the ceiling. "Why do you not like him? I find him a decent fellow despite how strange he is."

"It's the way he treats Manny. She does not deserve to be treated that way." Sam was surprised by the firmness in his voice, anger lacing through it.

"Mister Frodo... I think Jupiter is only jesting, there's no need to worry. Manny even said so herself that it's how he always acts. You will see tomorrow. If you watch, you can see that she truly does not mind." He shifts his eyes back over to Frodo to meet his gaze. "They are much closer than we all thought, and I can tell that their friendship is deep."

"But..."

"Just watch, Mister Frodo."

"Fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any spelling errors or anything like that, please tell me so I can fix it right away. :)


	3. III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

The golden eyed teen didn't get much sleep. The night before, Manny had recounted the whole story of how it happened. It was storming, the power went out, her TV became holy, and then it puked out the Fellowship to put it simply.

Then after they slipped into their pajamas and into bed, he had lied awake and his mind was drawn into a blank. Her story didn't give much, but that was to be expected. He tried thinking up of all types of possibilities, but he ended up tossing it into the trash or pushing it aside as a reasonable reason. It did not help that he had no clue where to start when it came to all of the information he has gathered so far. He'll figure it out at some point, but right now wasn't that time.

Soon he had slowly drifted off to the dark pits of his mind. Though, that was all flushed down the drain when he was awakened by knocking at his bedroom door. The person knocking better be either dead, dying, or zombified.

Golden eyes blinking open, his blurry vision slowly cleared up. The first thing he saw was Manny clinging onto him, her hair in a tangled mess, and her mouth wide open as she snored away. She was always a cuddler in her sleep... and a drooler. He was more than willing to shove a sock in her mouth if it meant he wouldn't wake up with a body part covered in drool. It was tempting, but he wasn't  _that_  mean.

Carefully unwrapping her arms from around him, he slipped out of bed grumpily. As he trudged to the door, he noticed what time it was. Whoever was at his door, he was going to murder. They were going to die a slow and painful  _death_.

He unlocked the door and swung it open to glare darkly at the group crowding in front of the doorway. " _What?_ " He growled lowly.

They all simultaneously flinched at his tone and glare, not expecting to be greeted that harshly. It sort of pissed Jupiter off that they were all wide awake as if waking up was the greatest thing in the world. Especially when they all needed to sleep and are  _suppose_  to be in bed still.

"We all woke up some time ago and..." Pippin trailed off.

"And you want breakfast." He sighed, leaning against the door frame as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Do you realize how early it is? It's six in the morning."

"We awake at sunrise." Legolas said, "Do you not?"

"Not on the weekend when there's no school- Jesus- okay. Alright, that's my fault, I should have told all of you to sleep in. I'll make something, so go downstairs, I'll be there in a sec." He told them before shutting the door.

Grumbling under his breath, he went back to his nightstand to grab his glasses. He didn't exactly need to wear glasses, they were more... Of a memory. If anyone touched them, he would punch them, and that has happened several times so far.

"What did they want?"

Jupiter looked over to find that Manny was looking at him with half-lidded eyes, partially awake. "They just need to eat. Go back to sleep, sweet cheeks, I'll be back later."

She said something incoherent before her eyes closed and her snoring resumed. He chuckled as he slid his glasses on and left the room, yawning. As he made his way into the kitchen, he began to wish that he had told them all to sleep in rather than wake up at sunrise before they all went to bed. They all, especially Frodo, need to get some extra sleep in, especially after what they all had been through.

With some help from Sam - since he's not exactly that great with cooking for more than two people - they managed to make a classic American breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and some fruit. He had apologized on the Fellowship's behalf for waking him up, but he had brushed it off with his usual smirk.

While they were cooking, he had showed Sam how everything worked, cautioning him on what he can and can't touch. Everyone else also joined in on the educational moment when he had showed him how the fridge and stove worked. The reactions were... interesting to say the least.

When everything was done, the hobbit went to tell the others that the food was ready. By the time the last member of the group sat, Jupiter had set down the bowls of sliced apple and berries. "When you finish, just put the dishes in the sink. I'll wash them later."

"You won't join us?" Aragorn said.

"Nah, I'm going back to bed. Running on two hours of sleep right now." He told them before going back upstairs.

But just before he had turned away and left, Legolas noticed the dark circles under the teen's eyes. Worry and guilt bubbled up within him at the sight. Jupiter was a very strange person, stranger than Manny. He looked so otherworldly and had such an absurd behavior, even when it came to his friend. And although he was a bit shorter than he was, he came off as rather intimidating. So even after they all had waked him up at what was considered early in this world, he was kind enough to still make them breakfast.

Deciding to properly apologize and thank him later on, he ate some of the fruit that he had taken for himself to eat. He supposes Manny was right. Jupiter may come off as rude and full of mischief, but he is kind in his own way. He looked over to his companions at the table and they all seem to agree, even Frodo.

* * *

The moment Jupiter got back upstairs, he took off his glasses and laid back down in the bed with a satisfied groan. As he got himself comfortable once again, Manny wrapped her arms around his middle and he slung an arm over her in return, "Everything okay?..."

"Mhm..." He hummed, "I need to stock up on food again."

"You do it, I'm broke."

"I know. Sleep."

"M'kay."

He rolled his eyes when she started snoring right after saying that. Jupiter pulled the covers over the both of them before drifting off to sleep as well. Hopefully, this time he'll get enough sleep to be able to continue his research.

The next time he woke up, Manny was out and about, combing out her hair and putting on a regular shirt and jeans that she stashed in his drawers after sleeping over so often. It was nine o'clock now so after exchanging good mornings, he too did his usual morning ritual.

For that day he decided to wear a white tank top under a leather hoodie - the hood being cloth and grey - and a pair of jeans and sneakers. Oh, and don't forget his hat, can't ever leave without his black hat.

They all said their hellos to the Fellowship who were watching TV and... Sharpening and tweaking their weapons. Jupiter decided that their breakfast should just be apples and strawberries considering how low their food supply currently is. He himself just had an apple, while the girl devoured both.

He went into the living room and frowned at all of the weapons, "Yeah, this is not going to work out."

All of their heads turn to him and Manny as she nodded in agreement, "Yep. We can't have your weapons around like that."

"Then what do you suppose we do?" Boromir said, looking thoroughly annoyed by their statements.

"Put them in a safe place. We have a lot to do today, so c'mon, follow me."

Ten minutes later after doing just that, Jupiter had finished his apple and was telling them what they were going to do that day. "I'm going to give you all some different clothes to wear, disguise you all a bit, and then we're going to go out and buy you proper clothing."

"Buy clothing? Do you not make your own?" Frodo asked.

Manny shook her head, swallowing the last bite of her apple. "Nope. These days, people make them for other people so they can get money. They have factories to make many at once, and it's not just clothes. Certain foods, necessities... They're sold at places called stores. That's where we're going."

"Yes, and before all of that, we're gonna show you how to use the toilet."

" _We?_ " The brunette cried, "You mean,  _you are_. I'm not teaching grown men how to work a freaking toilet!"

"Ugh, fine. C'mon Frodo, you're first, I'll show you first and get some clothes ready for you."

* * *

By the time Manny was done with her breakfast, more than half of the Fellowship were done showering again and changing. She was rather proud of the red head for putting them in clothes that actually looked good, considering he is practically forced to go on shopping trips with her. She would have been highly disappointed if he had learned absolutely nothing from her during those times.

Gimli and the hobbits were the only ones specifically finished. Jupiter had given the dwarf a sort of lumberjack style of clothing and the hobbits some of his old clothes. Frodo in particular looked really good in jeans... She hopes to every godly being that exists that he doesn't catch her eye raping him.

Manny was pulled out of her thoughts by Aragorn walking in. His facial hair was trimmed down with clean cuts so it would be much tamer than it had been before. It wasn't as great of a job as a barber could've done, but it was impressive knowing that it was Jupiter who had done it.

The future King of Gondor was admiring his pair of jeans as he entered, "They are tighter than I am use to, but are rather comfortable."

"Yes, he even said I can keep his old vest!" Merry said excitedly, adjusting his brown vest over a white dress shirt.

Pippin, on the other hand, scrunched up his nose in distaste. "These  _shoes_ are the only things that I despise."

"Agreed." Sam nods, frowning down at his new footwear.

Manny chuckled at the four of them, "We're not leaving yet so you can take 'em off if you want." She and Gimli laughed when they instantly kicked them off with relieved sighs.

"Hey, Legolas."

The blonde flinched and whipped his head around to look at Jupiter. Legolas had been watching a show called  _Grimm_  and had been sucked into the story that it played in front of him. He stood up and followed after the teen upstairs to the guest bedroom he was sharing with Gimli, though he didn't share the bed with him since Elves do not need much sleep.

"Sooo... You like  _Grimm_?"

The Elf looked over at him to meet his piercing gaze, " _Grimm_?"

"The show you were watching. It was like you were in some kind of trance or something." He smirked as he entered the bedroom, rather satisfied to find that the room was still in decent condition.

"Oh, yes." He nods, "It's strange. Are those creatures in the tale real?"

"Nope, thank God. It's all fantasy." Jupiter said before fully turning to him, "I already set out some clothes on the counter so take your time."

"Thank you, Jupiter." Legolas gave him a small smile before going into the bathroom.

Sighing, he began to strip his clothes off. Jupiter is... strange. He spoke easily to them in a laid-back manner most of the time and had a confident air around him that you would usually find from someone with a narcissistic nature, but he was not conceited at all. There was also that time when he was first introduced to the Fellowship at Manny's home. He had been staring at Legolas rather intently. He had brushed it off at first, but he could not help but wonder why.

It also had him wondering if it has something to do with the future - if it had to do anything with his fate since he did in fact know what will happen in his journey. After a minute of standing there dumbly, he decided to leave the subject alone for now. He was just overthinking things.

Meanwhile, Jupiter was laying on the bed that he had just fixed, patiently waiting for the elf to shower and change. Damn, he still can't get over it. Even after he and Manny shared a fangirl/boy moment last night, he still couldn't get over the fact that these people were living in his house. Well, temporarily.

He grew up watching the movies. When he was four years old, his mother had introduced him to the very first movie and man, he was hooked. He can't count how many times he had watched it or every time his mother had to drag him away from the screen so he could go to bed. It came to the point where she tried reading the books to him, but not one for literature that didn't include science, he always fell asleep two minutes into reading.

Then he found out there were two more movies when he was gifted the DVDs for his birthday. One part of him hadn't been pleased that his parents kept this fact from him, but the other part was unable to wait to watch them.

To this day, he was still amazed that his little five year old mind was able to comprehend and understand the entirety of the story. It came to the point where his mother was more than a little disturbed that her child had too much of an understanding about life and death. Maybe that was when she and her husband realized that he was a bit... different. Actually, it was the day when his father finally took him under his wing, but that was a story for another time.

All throughout watching the Fellowship go through their torturous journey, he always caught himself getting excited to see one of the nine members come on screen. Jupiter was actually surprised that he hasn't said or done anything stupid to that person as of yet. Yeah, he may be an asshole, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have someone he admires.

Shooing away those thoughts, he took out his phone to scroll through his Twitter feed, completely ignoring the texts he had received both last night and that morning. Oh, and look at that, he was getting more right now. Too bad he was too busy looking at memes.

It didn't take long before the elf came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in the clothes that were given to him. Jupiter put his phone away and stood up, looking him up and down. His own clothes wouldn't be able to fit him, so he had to use an... old pile from a closet used for storage. He got him a navy blue, long-sleeved shirt that had a collar. He had left the buttons unbuttoned to reveal a light blue shirt, and he too wore jeans, but were black instead of the classic denim.

With a thoughtful expression, he walked up to him so that he can take one of his arms and roll up the sleeves of his over-shirt half way up his forearm. He glanced down afterwards, satisfied that he put on the combat boots right and had tucked his pants into it.

Jupiter looked up to examine his hair, but tensed when their eyes met. The moment was brief, but it was enough for him to notice how blue his eyes are. Being up close, he can tell that there was something different with Legolas's eyes compared to regular people. He had also seen it in the trilogy and had been practically mesmerized the first time there was a close up on them, but now that he was reminded of it, he couldn't get it out of his head as he focused his attention to his hair.

Jupiter shook his head when he saw the braids pulling back his blonde locks enough to reveal his pointed ears. "I can see your ears... Do you mind if I do something with your hair? I won't do anything crazy."

Legolas thought for a moment before nodding. The teen directed him to sit on the bed and he did so. Jupiter climbed onto it and sat on his knees behind him so that he can easily do his hair.

The first thing he noticed when he touched the first braid was that his hair was fucking  _soft_. Like chinchilla fur soft. Unicorn hair soft. He had the weirdest urge to just run his fingers through it, but forced it away for now and proceeded to carefully take the braids out.

The blonde felt hyperaware of the one behind him undoing his braids. He was surprisingly gentle, something he didn't expect from Jupiter, so he relaxed. He would never admit it, but he enjoyed the other touching his hair.

Soon, Jupiter was finished with the last braid and pulled his hand back. He quickly whipped his hand away when he felt it brush against his ear. Legolas too had jumped rather violently, placing a protective hand over it. "Oh shit- I'm sorry! Fuck, I forgot to be careful about the damn elf ears!..." He apologized profusely, an embarrassed blush spread across his face. The only reason he knew that touching elf ears were a big no-no was a bit of fanfiction he was forced to read - courtesy of Manny - and a lot of research to sedate his curiosity.

Legolas quickly took pity on the guilty red head, he himself surprised by how apologetic he was, "It's alright, it was an accident. There's no need to fret." He offered a smile to show that he truly was okay with it.

Jupiter calmed down, but only a little. Once the blonde faced forward again, it took a couple of seconds before Jupiter returned to doing his hair, but this time much more cautiously.

The elf closed his eyes, forcing himself not to sigh contently when fingers ran through his hair. He was not mad or annoyed that Jupiter had touched a sensitive part of his body, he was more intrigued, but much more confused. Intrigued because of the teen's immediate reaction due to the fact that when he apologizes it sounds he like he doesn't care, but you can tell it was genuine. Not... frantic.

And confused because of what happened when his fingers brushed over it. Sometimes people would accidentally touch them, a brush nearly every time. It either made him feel extremely uncomfortable after flinching away violently or left a tingle that made him equally as uncomfortable.

Though when Jupiter had done it, a heat had rushed over him like a blanket. It caught him off guard and immediately after he looked at him with surprise written all over his face, all he can think was that he wanted him to do that again. But of course, he would never admit to himself that he actually thought of such an absurd thing.

Legolas opened his eyes as the weight on the bed was lifted from behind him and the one that was on his mind was now in front of him, bringing his hair that had been undone from the braids forward.

Stepping back, he nodded with a pleased smirk. "Looks good. C'mon, let's get this done and over with."

* * *

"Son of a bitch!" Jupiter slapped his hand on the steering wheel with a growl. "I swear, every time I go through the city, there's a douche cutting me off without turning the damn blinker on!"

"Relax, I'm sure they did not mean to." Boromir said.

He glanced at him and the dwarf in the rear view mirror, "They meant to. It happens almost every time I drive. Apparently, they don't care if I crash into them or someone else."

Legolas turned his eyes away from the road, "Crash?"

"Believe it or not, sometimes there are car accidents in which two vehicles collide with another. Some are minor and others can be traumatic." He noticed the almost horrified look on the elf's face and chuckled, "Don't worry, I won't let anything serious happen."

"Does it happen frequently?" Gimli asked bravely even though none of them wanted to know.

"Not really." He shrugged, "They mostly just wreck the car and leave people inside with a few bruises and scrapes. There are airbags that come out upon impact to help protect you. The worst ones are usually because of drunk idiots or when the road is slippery from rain or snow."

"Such comforting words." Boromir muttered dryly.

The elf only nodded, "I trust that you know what you are doing, Jupiter."

At this, he snorted. "Trust, huh? Thanks, I guess." He turns the steering wheel, "We're here by the way."

Manny arrived shortly after with the rest of the Fellowship. She threw her fists up in the air in triumph after locking her car, "Heck yeah! Shopping!"

"Hey, sweet cheeks, did you bring money?" Jupiter asked her.

She froze and a horrified look appeared on her face. "I thought you brought some. I told you I was broke!"

He blinked at her owlishly before smirking widely, pulling out his wallet. "And you thought right. I've been saving up a lot from work."

"How much?"

"I was working overtime during the summer, so I got extra on my paycheck and more when you add that up with the summer before. We'll use a third for clothes and the rest can go to food and other necessities. So... A lot."

"Jupiter... I think I'm falling in love with you."

Everyone looked at the girl with wide eyes, especially Frodo and Legolas. The red head rolled his eyes, handing her a wad of cash, "Didn't we talk about this already or do I need to remind you? Maybe I  _should_ show you my-"

"Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, put your booties into gear because we are going to avoid the pervert standing in front of us for an hour or so." They were half way down the parking lot when she turned around to shout, " _I don't love you anymore_!"

Jupiter rolled his eyes and made a motion with his hand to the others, "Let's go. I pray that she uses the money wisely..."

"Women and shopping..." Aragorn shook his head in equal exasperation.

"Women?..." He slowly turned his head to look at them over their shoulder with another wide smirk, "Who said only women enjoyed shopping?"

The men, elf, and dwarf paled.

* * *

"No, no, these won't do... This one?... No... Oh, this should do the trick!"

The three members of the Fellowship could only watch helplessly as Jupiter picked out clothes for all of them to try on. It has been half an hour and he had already made them carry bags for him.

Legolas was the only one out of the three who didn't seem to mind the whole ordeal. He had tried clothes on and carried bags without any complaint. In all honesty, he was ecstatic to finally walk around to take a look of the foreign world and see what other technology it had. He felt sad seeing all of these new things, but that was just his homesickness talking.

Boromir and Gimli on the other hand... "I am getting sick of putting on all of this clothing. And so much of it!" The dwarf huffed.

"Suck it up. It's to make sure it fits and looks good on you, and I have no idea how long you'll be here for so I might as well get enough. Don't worry, we're almost done." He explained, before pointing over to a direction, "Let's go to the changing rooms."

Officially one hour since they all had arrived, they had run into Manny's group in the last store they were going to. Their group was similar to his, but with disgruntled hobbits carrying bags and Frodo being the only one who doesn't mind it so much.

The Fellowship was absolutely relieved by the time the two had announced that they were finished and all that was left was to pay for the rest of the clothes. Manny went ahead to go over to the cashier with the piles of clothes in her hands, "Excuse me, I'd like to check out now."

The woman, who was clearly in her twenties, didn't even glance up at her. The brunette's eye twitched in irritation as she watched her smack her gum and continue typing away on her phone. Wow, rude much?

Jupiter, from where he stood by the men near the entrance, rose an eyebrow at the scene. He saw Manny say something to the black-haired woman who responded with something that made her face red with anger. "Can you hear what they're saying, Legolas?"

The elf nods his head with his lips pressed together in a thin line, "The woman in front of her is being very impolite to Lady Manny."

"She looks quite angry." Sam agreed.

He nods, "I'll handle it."

Jupiter placed a mischievous smirk on his face, replacing the scowl that had been growing on it, as he made his way over to the two girls glaring at each other. "Is there a problem?" He asked innocently as he approached.

Manny spun around and looked absolutely relieved to see him. He gave her a very long look before she finally rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I'll be with the others."

As soon as she left, the red head leaned against the counter to look at the woman who was suddenly interested in actually doing her job now. He took this chance to examine her. She had red lipstick with light make up, and her clothing was a simple uniform that hugged her figure perfectly. "What's your name?" He purred.

She blushed and stuttered out, "J-Jen..."

"Well, Jen, I couldn't help, but come over here after my eyes landed on a magnificent creature such as yourself." Jupiter said lowly, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Manny scoffed as they all watched the teen easily pull the giggling woman into his charms. "He's such a dang player..." She muttered.

"Manny, what is he doing with that woman?" Pippin asked, being held back by Sam and Merry from going over there and stick his nose into the conversation.

"That, my dear friend, is called flirting." She replied, crossing her arms.

"I do not like the way he charms women..." Legolas said aloud as he watched Jupiter tilt the woman's head back up by her chin with the tip of his finger when she shyly looked down.

"Well, get use to it. He can get a girl wrapped around his finger just like that." She snapped her fingers, "He only does it when I'm in trouble though... It gets kinda annoying."

"You are saying he is not serious?" Aragorn said, surprised.

She shakes her head, "No. The girl isn't his type anyway..." She muttered something else under her breath that not even the elf was able to hear.

Back over to where both Jupiter and Jen are, he was finally able to pay for the clothes. After she gave him the receipt, she bit her bottom lip and pointed at the piece of paper, "My number is on there... So if you want we can go hang out some ti-"

Her eyes widen when he ripped the receipt until it was nothing but little pieces of useless paper. She was then met with a cold glare, "No thanks. I didn't like the way you treated my friend earlier." That's when she realized his true intentions when he had been flirting with her all of a sudden.

Without glancing back, he grabbed the bags and went back to everyone. Legolas was looking at him with wide eyes... Did he see  _and_ hear that? "Dude, y'know you don't have to do that." The brunette said as they walked out.

Jupiter looked down at her seriously, "I did it because she was being a bitch to you. If I hear someone talk shit about you, I'll kick their ass."

"You're so dramatic. You practically broke that chick's heart!"

"She'll get over it. I can't exactly punch her, so that's the next best thing..."

"Liar, it was because you like it."

Boromir looked at Jupiter with wide eyes, "You would hit a woman?"

He raises an eyebrow, "I don't take kindly to anyone messing with Manny. She's the only person I actually give a shit about." He paused, "And someone else."

"But she's a woman!" Gimli said.

"It's a new generation where a surprising percentage of guys in this country can give less of a crap if the person they hit is a girl." Manny said absentmindedly before scowling at something she sees. "Speaking of hitting girls..."

"Oh-em-gee!  _Baby!_ "

Jupiter dropped his bags to hug back the blonde girl that crashed into him and nearly made the both of them fall. Even though he was returning the embrace, the look on his face basically said that he kinda wanted to die right then and there.

Everyone other than Manny watched on in shock as she pulled away slightly to press her lips against his. He kissed back for a moment before pulling away with a forced small smile, "What a lovely surprise."

The girl, on the other hand, was either oblivious or just did not care. Her glossy lips were stretched into a smile. As per usual, she wore revealing clothes that consisted of ridiculously short shorts and a crop top that showed a healthy amount of cleavage. He'll admit, she is attractive without wearing clothes like that, but women were persistent. "What are you doing here, baby? And why haven't you been answering my texts!"

Jupiter sighed after she swatted his arm in annoyance, glaring up at him. "I was busy, and I'm still busy this whole weekend."

"But you're suppose to take me on a date tomorrow!" She nearly screeched.

"Hey, hey, hey..." He wrapped his arms around her waist, "Don't get like that. I promise, the next time I'm free, I'll take you out and we'll have dinner at that nice restaurant you wanted to go to. Deal?"

"I guess." She grumbled, still displeased. Her eyes then caught sight of Manny who was fake gagging with the two immature hobbits. "What is  _she_ doing here? And who are these guys?"

"Izz, you know that Manny's my friend. And these guys are... Friends that I made when I went to, uh, Arizona during summer break a couple of years ago. They're visiting for a while and are staying at my place."

"Oh." Was all the blonde said, "Well, I have to go. I need to get some new shoes and meet some of the girls. Bye, baby." She gave him a peck on the lips before slipping away from his arms and strutting away.

"Who was that, Jupiter?" Frodo asked as soon as she was out of view.

"Her clothing is scandalous!" Boromir said in horror.

"That..." Manny started, "Was Jupiter's psycho girlfriend that he won't freaking break up with. Seriously dude, you deserve way better than her! All she wants is to sleep with you!"

Jupiter flinched, but they didn't notice. He only scowled, "Whatever." Before walking away to the exit ahead of them.

They all followed after him as Legolas asked the brunette, "What do you mean by breaking up? And sleeping?"

Manny glanced up at him and noticed the fire behind his eyes. The fire for information, and if she wasn't wrong, she had a strong suspicion as to why. Discreetly, she had the two trail behind the Fellowship so the others wouldn't hear.

She then sighed, shaking her head. "Well, around here, people start romantic relationships early and usually aren't that serious. They're for fun and to see what it's like, y'know? And that's dating. A boyfriend and girlfriend would spend time together and go out on dates, which is sort of like romantic getaways, like going to restaurants and movies and such. Breaking up is when the relationship isn't working out and they decide to split up, and no longer be in a romantic relationship with each other."

"So it is like courting, but without the future intention of marrying." He deduced.

"Yeah. Sometimes less serious dating turns into a serious relationship that consider getting married in the future. Anyway, with Jupiter and Isabelle... It's a bit complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"Jupiter wants to have a serious relationship, but Isabelle isn't taking it seriously. All I'm seeing from her is that she just wants to sleep with him. In other words... The  _dirty_." He gives her a blank look, "In your terms as an elf - if I'm right - getting married."

" _Excuse me?_ " He choked out.

"Yeah. In this world, sexy time is seen as all types of ways. For fun, only to do it with people they truly have a love for, or they wait until they officially get married after a wedding and such. Isabelle wants to do it for fun, but Jupiter - despite what people think - is nothing like that. He takes sexy time pretty damn seriously."

"That is a relief." He didn't realize he had said the thought aloud, causing her brow to quirk up, "What are his views on it?"

"He wasn't sure at first, he just said it was-... You know what, I've said too much already. Don't tell him that I told you all of that stuff." Manny muttered to him.

"Of course."

Jupiter... There really was much more than he thought there was about him. What else was the man hiding under his tough exterior?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What?! Jupiter has a GIRLFRIEND?!"
> 
> I know, I know, I'm so damn EVIL! Mwahahaha
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP. :)
> 
> Also, did you catch that Grimm reference? 'Cause I have another gay fanfic of that show with an OC that you should totally check out. *winkwink*


	4. IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Like I said, I'm not a scientist.
> 
> Also, the girl below is Manny. This is the only picture I found that closely resembled how I imagined Manny to look like.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

                      

* * *

**Manny**

                                                                                 

* * *

The minute they got back home, Jupiter and Manny got to work on giving everyone their clothes, making sure to cut the tag off along the way. After that was finished, the red head immediately went downstairs, switching his hoodie with his lab coat. "Alright, where to start, where to start... Oh!" He snapped his fingers and quickly made his way to the lab counters. Along the way, he grabbed a pair of safety glasses since he'll be working in the lab itself.

After Aragorn took a shower last night, he noticed there was some type of dust caking up on his clothes so he quickly collected it in a test tube so he can identify what it is later on as a side project. But he wasn't working on that now. He'll soon be working on the blood he collected, so after sliding on some gloves, he carefully put each one on different microscope slides before labeling them.

He then stood with all of the slides in hand and went to his microscope that was still connected with the computer. Sitting down, he turned the microscope on and pulled the screen up on the computer before putting the first slide in. Boromir. Last night he had set the magnification settings at 4X and 10X only to identify the average cell count, but now he needed a much closer look.

Taking off the safety glasses and clipping it to his shirt with his other glasses, he messed with the knobs to make it focus on each setting until he got to the highest magnification. He blinked at the screen and squinted, "Wait... What the fuck?"

Jupiter quickly looked into the microscope itself before looking back up at the screen. Almost frantically, he replaced the slide with Gimli's. Then Aragorn, then Frodo, then Legolas, and then the rest. Soon enough, he had a notebook in his hand and flipped it open to a new page, scribbling down everything Manny had told him the other night. He has a feeling that it's going to be useful in the future.

* * *

Upstairs in the dining room, Manny had made sandwiches for all of them to eat for lunch. As she was biting into her third ham sandwich, all of them heard the sound of music being blasted in the basement. More specifically, heavy metal. To say that all of them - well, except Manny - were surprised was an understatement. "It's just Jupiter, he's playing music." She quickly reassured them.

"That is not music." Merry cried incredulously, "It sounds like something that Orcs would listen to!"

"Yeah, well, it helps him concentrate." That statement was followed by a muffled solo of someone screaming gibberish and intense drumming.

"I do hope you understand that that's very hard to believe, Manny." Legolas stated, disliking the flurry of instruments being played.

She only shrugged, fully understanding why considering she thought the same exact thing until she witnessed it for herself how much better he worked with this type of music playing. "If the music were louder with more screaming then that's when we should be worried. He'll play screamo music if he's using fire. He gets a bit... excited with anything that has to do with fire."

Manny held up a hand before any of them opened their mouths, "Don't ask. He just has an unhealthy love for it." They wisely chose to listen to her statement.

The table was soon void with food and everyone went to do their own thing. The two men, Aragorn and Boromir, had retrieved their weapons to spar in the backyard, while the others watched a movie. It was long since she properly show them around the house after they returned from the mall and store, like where they can go spar and train at when they feel like it without anyone seeing them.

Manny took this opportunity to ask Frodo if he wanted to go outside for some fresh air and he agreed. She lead him out to the back, away from the two sparring men, to a swinging bench that was placed right by the house. They both sat down and just relaxed in a companionable silence, looking ahead at the forest that rested behind Jupiter's home with various wildflowers lining the front. She sighed contently, sagging from where she sat.

After all of that chaos, she was able to properly relax for a few minutes. She took that time to assess how she was going to deal with... all of this. She couldn't sleepover Jupiter's house for more than a few days considering she had a limited amount of clothes stashed here. She also had her own apartment that she still had to pay rent for...

She felt stupid for getting the apartment now. She was stubborn about being independent and wanted to get her own place, even when Jupiter offered - no - demanded that she lived at his house. Thinking back on it now, she should have agreed. She can be just as independent living in the same house as him. She can still work, help with errands, and help with the house bills, just like she would at her apartment.

Plus, her apartment was absolute shit. It was too small, the neighbors were obnoxiously rude to her when she greets them, the rent was a bit unfair, and there were constant problems with either electricity or plumbing. Maybe she should take extra shifts on days that Jupiter isn't working so that she can pay both for last month and this month before moving out.

"Manny, is there any other reason why you brought me here?" Oops, she almost forgot that Frodo was right next to her.

The brunette then realized that she actually did and nodded her head. Quickly glancing around, she lowered her voice and adopted a look that showed she was being serious. "The Ring, Frodo. Don't think we forgot about it."

Instinctively, he reached a hand up to grasp the demon spawn that was beneath his shirt. "What about it?..." He asked uncertainly.

"Jupiter and I know a safe place where we can put it. We both talked about it and thought it would be best that it was kept hidden until we figured out how to get you back to Middle-Earth." She explained, "It's for your safety as well, Frodo. If someone other than us and the Fellowship sees it, who knows what could happen?"

The hobbit frowned at the explanation, "But the rest..."

"You can tell them if you want them to know, but it would be best that they didn't. The fewer people who knows where it is, is better than a whole group. It's your choice, Frodo."

"You, Jupiter, and I will be the only ones." He repeated and she nods. Frodo thought for a long minute before giving a nod of his head, "I agree."

Manny smiled kindly, "Jupiter and I already planned where it would go if you said yes, so I can take you right now if you like."

A nod was all that was needed before the brunette pulled the hobbit to his feet by his hand and went back inside to inform that they were heading out for a while before going out the front door to her car.

During that whole time, Frodo couldn't stop staring at the hand holding his.

* * *

Jupiter's hands were covered in chalk as he skittered around his lab. He kind of wished he had bought a white board instead, but the chalk boards were way cheaper at the time. Anyway, after finding what he found in everyone's blood, one thing lead to another and he was now just a huge flurry in there with his hand quickly writing down notes on the large chalkboard. To anyone else it would look like just a bunch of scientific mumbo jumbo, but in reality, they were just chemical compounds. At some point he ended up running out of room and had to set up another blackboard in order to continue writing.

He didn't think he would end up getting somewhere so quickly, especially with how limited his information is, but now with the discovery he made he can finally make some proper theories based off of something rather than nothing. It also lead him to asking more questions that needed to be answered and there was no way in hell he was going to stop now. This was a once in a life time opportunity, an opportunity that no one has ever had. If he ever finds out how to return them back to Middle-Earth, it can lead to a personal study of dimensional travel.

Okay, maybe he shouldn't get too ahead of himself. It's only been a day and just one little thing he found doesn't mean he found out how to bring them back. First, he needs to figure out how the hell they got here first.

His chalk abruptly stopped scratching against the board at the sound of knocking on his door. It was extremely muffled due to the music, but he was close enough to the doors to be able to hear it. He pulled out his phone to shut off the music that was playing through the Bluetooth and made his way up the stairs to unlock the door. He pulled it open and took a double take once he saw who it was.

"Hello, Jupiter." Legolas greeted him with a faint smile.

"Hey." He slid his safety glasses up so they rested on top of his head and leaned against the door frame casually, "Did you need something?"

"Before Lady Manny left with Frodo, she had made us all food to eat. You have been down here for quite some time since we have returned, so I thought you must have been hungry as well."

Jupiter glanced down at what he held in his hand, which were a couple of sandwiches set on a plate. He took it into his hands when it was offered to him, "Thanks... Do you want to, y'know, come in?..."

Legolas, who obviously hadn't expected the question, gave a small nod after a moment. Of course he wanted to come in after being in there once last night! He was curious about what he was doing and what has gotten him to blast very... interesting music.

Silently, Jupiter gestured him to follow him and they went down the stairs back to the lab. The teen spun around with a flourish once he was in the middle of the room, "Let me officially welcome you to my laboratory, where I do all types of research. From studying limb regeneration to interdimensional travel in order to return my eight guinea pigs back home. So first thing's first, don't touch anything in here. There's a lot of dangerous stuff in here that can hurt you, like chemicals."

"Of course." He nods and took a seat in the computer chair that had been rolled over near the chalkboards. "You must have been working hard down here." He says, mentally noting the state of the large room compared to before.

The red head quickly swallowed the bite he had taken from his sandwich, not caring that his hand still had chalk on it. It's gross if you thought about it, but it's not like it would kill him or anything, "Sorta. I lost track of time after taking a closer look at everyone's blood, as you can see." He gestured to the boards.

"I cannot understand what some of it says." Legolas stated as his eyes trained on the many equations.

Hearing the bitter undertone in his voice, he rolled his eyes a bit, "They're just chemical formulas and equations. Don't worry about them."

Legolas nods and began to read aloud a note scribbled onto it, "'Blue film around subjects'...'"

"Erythrocyte. Another word for red blood cells."

"...'Erythrocyte, identified as unnatural electrical charge.'" His eyebrows shot up, "Electrical charge?"

"Exactly how I reacted when I tested it." Jupiter gestured to the results he copied down from his notebook, "Blood can conduct electricity because of the salt that's in it, which allows electrical currents to flow through it. But the thing is, when I tested how strong it was... well..." His eyes trailed over to the counter he had been working on, "It kinda made a battery explode."

Legolas followed his gaze, and just like he had said, there was a wire connected at one end to a metal square that had indeed burst open from a small explosion. "But... How is that possible? Our blood did that?"

"I was flipping my shit too when that happened. But then I found how high the electrical current was and estimated it to all of your body capacities. Technically, with all of that going on inside you, you should be dead."

Before the elf could exclaim how that was impossible since he was alive and well, Jupiter quickly set down his plate that had one sandwich left. He retrieved a picture he had printed out and pinned onto the board, and handed it to Legolas, pointing at one of the red circles that had a blue ring around it, "That's the electrical current. Now, the reason why you're all alive is because there's something else that's wrapped around it, making the electricity move constantly around the cell, which isn't suppose to happen when that type of electricity is inside you."

"This is..." Legolas took a deep breath and returned the paper back to him, "I may not be able to fully grasp what everything means nor anyone else, but I trust you. You are willing to go this far with helping us, mere strangers. I thank you, Jupiter, for putting in so much effort in helping us return home."

Jupiter only stared down at him expressionlessly. He had not been expecting that. He had not been expecting that  _at all_ considering how little Legolas has spoken to him. He had thanked him before, he remembers, but this time it was much more sincere and heartfelt. Heat crawled up to his face as their gazes met, but this time he held it instead of immediately looking away. They were just so  _blue_ and beautiful, and they never wavered from his.

He turned his head away and cleared his throat. "You thank me too much." Jupiter told him before walking back to the chalkboard, hoping to every god above that the prince did not see the effect his gaze unwillingly put upon him.

Unfortunately for him, Legolas clearly saw the pink dusting his cheeks and was surprised that he was strangely satisfied by the reaction. Elves are well known for their sharp eyes after all.

* * *

Jupiter frowned when his phone rang in the middle of him explaining to Legolas what the periodic table was. He took it out of his pocket and didn't even bother to look at the caller ID, "What?" He snapped at the other person on the line.

" _Well, dang, I guess you don't want your stupid sushi._ "

"Sushi?"

" _Yes, Mister Grumpy Pants, sushi. Now quit keeping poor Legolas down there, I bet he's scared out of his wits being in the same room as you for so long._ "

"Ha-ha. We'll be right up." He hangs up and sighs, stretching out his arms, "Let's go eat some dinner, Legolas."

Too lazy to take off his lab coat, the both of them went back upstairs and into the dining room. As they went, Jupiter continued where he had left off with Legolas listening carefully. The red head was surprised, yet pleased, he was this determined to understand the gibberish he spoke when talking about almost anything that has to do with science.

"It's safe to eat it raw! It's not like you  _have_  to eat it, that's why I bought some other stuff for you to eat. Plus, I'm only having a few."

"I accidentally ate a fish raw once and I was ill for a whole entire week! The fish was disgusting as well... It tasted like dirt."

"Pip, you ate it because you were so hungry you couldn't wait for it to get cooked."

The pair walked into the dining room just in time to see Manny slap a hand onto her forehead from where she sat. Completely ignoring their argument, he asked, "What kind did you bring?"

She looks up, relieved that he was here and didn't leave her alone in a room full of overly worried hobbits and men. Gimli was the only one too busy chowing down on the food that was actually cooked, seeming greatly amused by the squabble. "I got you salmon sashimi, California roll, and uh... The one with the fish eggs."

He brightens, "Salmon roe? Holy shit, you're the best!" He immediately plopped down in a seat next to her and grabbed a pair of chopsticks.

"Heck yeah, I'm the best. Now eat your gross fish babies and shut up." She said, sliding the tray of sushi towards him along with soy sauce and wasabi. "Legolas, do you want to try some? Or are you a big baby about raw fish too?" She teased, sticking her tongue out at the immature hobbits making faces at her.

The elf took a seat beside Jupiter and eyed the skillfully sliced fish that he picked up between two sticks, dipping it into a brown liquid before eating it with a content look on his face. "I cannot get sick from food, so I suppose a taste wouldn't hurt."

Manny and Jupiter looked at each other before returning their gazes to him, "Are you sure? I mean, there's a high chance that you won't like it." She said, "Maybe it's not a good idea to introduce this type of foreign food to you yet."

"I'll be fine." He reassures her, "I'm willing to try something new."

"Frodo, Sam, Merry, do you think Legolas hit his head when we all appeared in this world?" Pippin whispered to the three. Aragorn gave him an unamused look.

"Since this is your first time, I'll give you something that doesn't have raw meat." Jupiter picked out one of the pieces from the California roll and held it up to the other's mouth without much thought. "The rule is you have to eat it whole. I don't know why so don't ask. It just is."

Hesitantly, the elf ate it out of the chopsticks and chewed slowly. Everyone watched in anticipation, most of them waiting for him to spit it out or throw up. After a long few seconds, Merry and Pippin gasped dramatically, and Frodo's and Sam's eyes blew wide.

"Oh my God, he swallowed it." Manny said.

"That's what she said." Jupiter winced when he was punched in the arm, "Ow."

Legolas kept his eyes focused on the red head, "I like it. What's the other one?"

"This is salmon sashimi, which is just the fish alone." Jupiter pointed at the one he had eaten first, "Wanna try it?" He smirked when he immediately nodded. Now he really knows that elves aren't afraid to eat meat. Once again, after dipping it into some soy sauce, he fed him the fish.

Slowly, he chewed again. He made a face at the texture, but it was simply something that he needed to get use to. But other than that, "It's good. Although, I don't think I wouldn't eat that many."

"One more." Jupiter said as he picked up the salmon roe and held it up for him, "Instead of regular raw fish, these are fish eggs. Think you can handle that or do you just want to stick with the other two?"

To answer his question, he silently ate it off the chopsticks. The fish eggs threw him off, but so did the raw fish. So far, everything he had fed him was fine so if Jupiter thought that this was good, then there was surely nothing to be afraid of.

It was taking him a bit longer to chew since it was a bit bigger than the others... And he was still chewing. He looked down at Jupiter as he stopped, his nose scrunched up. He shook his head as an indication that he did not like it. At all. The Fellowship seemed to be relieved that the archer was sane enough to at least not like something out of them all as Manny hurriedly grabbed a good amount of napkins for Legolas to spit out the sushi.

After sipping on some water, he said, "I don't see how you can eat that. That was  _vile_."

Jupiter gave his back a somewhat comforting pat, "At least we both know you don't like it. More for me then."

And then for the rest of the meal, Jupiter would occasionally feed the elf a piece of sushi when asked for some whilst having his own small plate of cooked food. Though, he gave the salmon roe sushi the stink eye whenever he saw it.

Later that night, everyone had finished eating and was watching a movie by Manny's demand after she caught them about to go to bed ridiculously early. Especially on a Saturday. There was no way in hell she was going to deal with a pissy Jupiter early in the morning.

Jupiter had returned to his lab to finish up what he was working on for the day, snacking on a bar of chocolate.

It was relaxing to say the least, with the music lowered to a reasonable volume that won't interrupt the movie in the living room, it wasa great way to end a long day in his 'dungeon'. His visitor from earlier had also returned, most likely have gotten bored by the movie. He couldn't blame him, it was a really bad chick flick that the rest of the Fellowship were surprisingly into.

He didn't like romantic comedies, he preferred classic romances like the  _Titanic_. He even liked the  _Fault In Our Stars_  and he will never admit that he had cried like a baby at the end. Even though horror scares the shit out of him sometimes, he enjoyed the thrill, but romance will always be number one. Yes, surprising, but that's just how it was for him. Comedies were on the same level as horror, especially after watching  _White Chicks_. Oh, and don't even get him started on  _Central_   _Intelligence_ ,  _Get Hard_ ,  _Deadpool_ , all of  _Rush Hour_ , and both  _Ride Along_  movies. Works of comedic art.

After washing his hands from the chalk, Jupiter sat down on his stool with a grunt beside Legolas to admire his complicated work on the board. "I think I'm gonna take a break tomorrow."

"You should." Legolas said, "You have been working on this for nearly the whole day, you need your rest."

The teen only shrugged at his statement, not caring much. He was about to eat the last hunk of chocolate, but then he paused and stared down at it with a contemplative look. He loved chocolate. He loved sweets more than anything and he was willing to literally kill someone if they ever took it away from him. So he wasn't sure why he asked Legolas, "Want some?"

Mirkwood's prince eyed the candy that was offered up to him. Without hesitation, he bent his head down slightly to bite off a piece of the chocolate. Jupiter resisted the urge to blush at the fact that he pretty much fed him, but his efforts were in vain since he both remembered and realized he had done the same exact thing at dinner.  _Multiple times_. He watched the elf lick his lips with wide eyes before looking at him as if he were some type of angel sent from heaven, "What was that?"

"Chocolate. The most addicting sweet in this world." He answered, fighting off the grin that wanted to appear on his face.

"Chocolate... I... I've never tasted anything like that!" He looked at him with big blue eyes and a huge smile on his face, all glinting with childish glee.

The teen felt his cheeks warm at the expression. He had saw it only a couple of times on screen, like the lembas bread scene, but it was nothing compared to seeing it face to face. It was just... So fucking  _cute_.

Jupiter quickly averted his eyes before his whole face turned red, "It's also put in all types of desserts. Maybe I'll pick up something with chocolate in it one day."

He let Legolas have the rest of the chocolate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually bring a whole bar of chocolate to school sometimes and eat it during my classes... Heh.
> 
> Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed... Haha...
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP. :)


	5. V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Sunday was uneventful. They all woke up, ate and did what they wanted - either to train, watch TV, or goof around both inside and outside, the usual routine that everyone quickly picked up on. At this point, it was safe to say that Jupiter and Manny were no longer weirded out that the Fellowship were living with them... Well, as much as they can be considering they come from a different world.

And speaking of Jupiter, he was completely and utterly bored out of his mind. That morning he had tried to go down to the basement to continue his research on his newest guinea pigs, but one of those little piggies and his dear best friend had caught him in the act, and therefore banned him from working anymore. The others had agreed to giving him a break after one look at him.

He laid on his bed with a big bag of Skittles on his stomach, popping piece after piece of sugary candy into his mouth. Usually, he would care about what flavor he was eating but right now he was too bored to care. Being forced to relax doesn't mean he's able to relax. When he wants to relax, he'll relax, not when someone wants him to  _relax_.

Jupiter breathed out a sigh and reached into the bag again to grab another Skittle. His brows furrow as the tips of his fingers met only plastic. He peered into the bag to find nothing, but air in the gigantic bag. With a growl of frustration, he grabbed the bag and threw it towards a random place in his room. That's it. He can't take it anymore. He has been eating Skittles since this morning and now it's almost five. All throughout that time, he has been playing video games and doing homework that did not have to do with math and science - even that had shocked him. He did anything he could to get rid of his boredom.

The red head slid off his bed, cringing when pins and needles immediately began to prick at the bottom of his feet. Before he could leave his room, his phone rang. With a deep scowl, he picked it up from his desk and answered it, snapping at the unknown caller, "What?"

" _Sup' Jupiter? You sound like you're in one of those bitchy moods, maybe I should call later-_ "

"What do you want, Ray?" He cut him off impatiently, "Just spit it out."

" _Fine, okay, sheesh. I just wanted to know if you wanted to play some basketball with some buddies of mine? We're a player short._ "

"So I'm just a fill-in, huh? Whatever, I have nothing better to do."

" _Meet you at the court in the park in half an hour._ "

Jupiter scoffed when he hung up, putting his phone down once again so he could go and put a shirt on. He didn't like Ray. Scratch that, he hated him. He hated him with a strong passion and the only reason the guy knows his number, let alone allows him to talk to him is because he's his girlfriend's stepbrother. Wasn't that just fan-fucking-tastic? Isabelle had a douchey stepbrother that he was forced to get along with.

After slipping on a shirt, and grabbing his phone and keys, he left the room and went downstairs. "I'm going out." He announced as he made his way to the door.

"Where?" Manny asked, looking away from the TV for a moment.

"Park. Bye." Was all he said before he left the house.

A minute later, they heard a motorcycle being revved up before zooming off and away from the house. "Well, someone's knickers are in a twist." She said blandly.

"I hope he is alright." Frodo says, "He seems vexed about something."

"Don't worry about it, he's always like that." She waved it off, "You get use to it."

Legolas, however, wasn't that convinced. He leaned back from where he sat and thought back to the relaxed, yet concentrated, expression the scientist has on his face when he works in his lab. Indeed, Jupiter was very easily vexed, but only briefly. As he had watched him come down the stairs and leave, he can tell that whatever has bothered him will stick and continue to pile up inside before finally boiling over.

* * *

"That was a great game, Jupiter! I didn't know that you play basketball?"

Said teen lazily looked over at the one who had spoken to him, sipping on his water. He quickly recognized him as Ray due to the pile of curly black hair on the top of his head and his olive skin. "I quit after middle school. It became too... dull."

"Maybe you should try out for the team. Y'know, give it a chance and see what happens. You might even end up liking it again."

"Who said that I liked it in the first place?" Jupiter shot back coldly.

Ray glared, "I was just suggesting. You don't have to be a dick about it."

"Funny coming from you." He muttered lowly to himself. He hated how Ray tried to be 'friendly' with him.

"So, I heard you saw Izzy at the mall yesterday..."

Jupiter nearly groaned. Can't he take a hint that he did not want to talk to him right now? He was still winding down from the basketball game and not to mention that he absolutely hated his guts. "Yeah, what about it?"

"She told me that some weirdos were with you. Friends from Arizona, right?"

"Exactly.  _Friends_. Not weirdos, so watch your mouth." He snapped at him for what felt like the millionth time that day.

Ray held his hands up defensively, "Hey, her words, not mine. I was just curious, that's all."

"Ever heard the most overused popular saying, 'curiosity killed the cat?' Well, that applies to now."

"Yo, Ray! Check it out!" The both of them look up, one more uninterested than the other, and switched their gazes over to Ray's four friends that had played with them. Jupiter did not like the cheshire grins on their faces as one of them, who held the ball in the crook of his arm, jerked his thumb towards something, "A lost little fag is over there."

Oh yeah, did Jupiter forget to mention that they were all homophobic pieces of shit? Because they are.

Isabelle's stepbrother matched their grins and stood up to follow after his friends toward a lone boy sitting by a tree while writing in a notebook on his lap. Jupiter recognized him as the only freshman in his math class. He didn't talk much, just did his work and asked questions, and that was it. He turned his head away when they all stopped in front of the kid, who didn't notice the shadows looming over him. Not his business.

Wait, what is his head doing? Why is it turning? Oh God, now he was standing up at the sight of Ray ripping the notebook out of his hands. This was none of his business, so why is he about to make it his business? He doesn't care about the kid. He doesn't even know him. He doesn't even remember his name! Why, oh why, can't he mind his own business when someone is getting picked on?

"What is this? A poem for your little boyfriend?" Ray taunted as he passed it to his friends, all of them snickering as their eyes skimmed over it.

Jupiter heard the kid say bluntly, "It's for my English class. Just because my brother is gay doesn't mean I am too, shit head." Woah. He's got bigger balls than he thought. Props to the freshman.

The kid glared up at him as Ray retorted to his words... To his notebook. In other words, Ray promptly ripped out the papers from his notebook. Okay, now that pissed him off since he can clearly see the neatly written notes that were on those papers. He may give less of a shit about school, but he knows enough that it took some time to write all of that.

"That's enough, Ray." Jupiter finally called out from behind them.

They all spun around and the guy who had called out the kid earlier frowned in displeasure at his command. He turned to Ray and glared, "Hey, man, I thought he was cool."

"He is." Ray hissed sharply and his friend jumped. Isabelle's stepbrother sent Jupiter a chilling smile, "Lighten up, Jupiter, you're always ruining the fun for me. Why can't you just join in?"

"No thanks." He stepped around them so he stood between him and the kid, reaching out to wrench the notebook out of his hand. "Just leave him alone."

"And why do you care, Jupiter? Huh?" A burning flare boiled within him when hands pushed him roughly, but he stood his ground. "You must be getting soft now, little bro."

"I'm not your 'little bro', dick tip. Don't forget who was the one to kick your ass in the middle of the fucking parking lot." Jupiter growled, the free hand that was resting in his pocket balling up into a shaky fist.

Ray got uncomfortably close to him to hiss at him, "And I would love to see what Isabelle would say if she found out you hurt me. Who do you think she would believe? Her boyfriend, or her brother, who she spent almost her entire life with? It isn't second year anymore, Jupiter. Watch yourself." With one last shove, he walked off with his friends.

Jupiter turned around once they were out of hearing range and looked down at the kid. His wide eyes stared up at him, shock written all over his face as he took the bent notebook that was offered to him. "Sorry about the notes." He said before walking away, not bothering to wait for a response. At this point,  _anything_  can set him off completely. To put it very simply, if an old lady walked up to him at that very moment and asked him if he wanted the rest of the money needed to complete his father's research, he would sock her right in the fucking mouth without remorse. So, it probably wasn't the best idea to hop on his motorcycle and drive well over the speed limit.

And it probably wasn't the best idea to come home with the overwhelming urge to slap a bitch.

The red head entered his house and slammed the door behind him unnecessarily hard. Everyone in the room jumped at the sound, turning to look at him as he walked with quick steps. Manny spoke up, "Welcome back, Jupiter. How was your-"

She cut herself off when he completely ignored her in favor of heading straight down the hallway to the basement. After a few seconds, the sound of a metal door slamming closed vibrated the house before there was the faint sound of black metal being blasted in the room. Manny winced at the sound, suddenly glad that she didn't stop him from going to his science dungeon like she had earlier that day, "Oh boy... He's pissed off."

"Yes, he has become much worse than he had been before he left." Boromir stated dryly.

"If only we knew why..." Frodo said.

"Well, considering he looked like he was a second away from beating the absolute crap out of someone, I'm guessing that it was Isabelle's stepbrother."

"Jupiter's partner?" Aragorn asked.

Manny nods, "Yep. And I'm only guessing, but I'm assuming that he had some type of run-in with him and Jupiter wanted to kick his butt, then remembered that his girlfriend wouldn't be too happy about that, which then lead to his temper getting worse. Of course, when this type of stuff happens, I'm only right 95% of the time considering the fact I've known him for years and the other fact that he has anger issues."

"I know someone else who has anger issues." Legolas muttered as his eyes trailed over to one of the shortest in the group.

"Legolas." The ranger warned.

Gimli, unfortunately, heard this as well and glared at him, "Ya mind saying that a bit louder for us all to hear, elf? We didn't hear ya the first time."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Manny quickly shouted when both of their glares hardened on each other, "No need to start fighting. One person who's prone to getting violent when angry is enough!" She put her hand on the dwarf's shoulder, "Let's all calm down. It's Sunday, the last day of the week, just chill out and relax."

"Manny," Merry spoke up, "Will Jupiter be alright?"

She nods, "Yeah. It's best to just leave him alone while he cools down. This happens pretty often believe it or not. There have been times where it's been way worse, but he's been better with handling it compared to a few years ago. Anyway, I win."

Everyone other than the elf cried out in indignation as she presented her cards. Legolas was much too busy staring at the dark hallway that lead to the source of the horrendous music.

* * *

Jupiter did not emerge from his lab until it was past midnight, the time where everybody was most definitely asleep. He didn't even come out for dinner when Manny had texted him that she made some spaghetti. He was still ticked off about what had happened in the park and buried himself in work in order to get his mind off of it. Though, he calmed down enough to lower the volume of his music.

A sigh left him as he went through the fridge, quickly finding leftover dinner that Manny had promised to save for him before the hobbits got to it. He honestly couldn't be bothered to pop it in the microwave, so he just opened the container, grabbed a fork, and ate his sad, cold pasta as he sat on the kitchen counter in the dark. The teen barely tasted it or register it's temperature as his thoughts drifted off to things that didn't have to do with Ray.

The whole idea of the Fellowship being in his house was still freaking him out. At this point, it looks like Manny has gotten use to it after spending so much time with them, but not for him. Even his mind was still battling whether this was only some type of lucid dream he was in or it was all actually real. He wasn't like Manny. He can't just simply flip his shit and then be fine with it after a little while. He needs his questions to be answered. What sent them here? Why were they sent here? How did it happen? Maybe even  _who_  did it?

Usually, he would go with the flow with things, but with this phenomenon happening with no reason or warning whatsoever? He lives and breathes for the answers he seeks just like his father had. And when he wants answers, he'll get them.

Jupiter scowled and stared down at the container that had several strings of pasta left swimming in the rest of the sauce. Sometimes he was a hypocrite. Specifically when he's buried in his lab work that he desperately wants to continue, especially when he discovers something new. He would always remind Manny to eat healthy and would at times make dinner for her so she wouldn't clog her arteries with KFC, but here he was, eating a slice of toast for breakfast, half a giant bag of Skittles for lunch, and cold spaghetti in the middle of the night.

Manny was right about him not taking care of himself. He needed a damn break, but he didn't know how to have one without something going wrong. It was frustrating since when he isn't or didn't want to be a flurry of passion in the lab, he lazed around his house with ease and without a care in the word. Tomorrow he'll try to get his shit together. Nap in some classes to catch up on sleep, actually use the produce that he had bought from the store, and do something in the lab that was less stressful.

Nodding to himself, he slid off the counter, and shoveled the last strands of pasta into his mouth before placing the dish and utensil into the sink. Briefly, he wondered if Manny had done the dishes considering that it was completely empty before he put them in, the dishes sparkling clean and still drying on the dish rack. Jupiter shrugged then made to leave and join Manny in bed, but he skidded to a stop just when he left the kitchen. He strained his ears, turning his head towards the back door as a sound came through it from outside. It wasn't threatening or anything, it was just... familiar.

His curiosity getting the best of him, Jupiter approached the sliding glass door that lead to outside and raised a brow at the sight of it cracked open. His other brow also raised when the sound turned out to be someone singing softly and quietly. He couldn't decipher the words, but it didn't matter. The voice was soothing, easing away any irritation that lingered within him, replacing it with a tranquil sensation. Not even his favorite music calmed him down so quickly, so who was the owner of this voice? More importantly, who the hell is outside on his damn back porch singing?

His hand gripped the handle carefully before silently pulling it to slide the door open as quietly as possible. Jupiter stepped outside, his hoodie easily protecting him from the crisp night air. He looked around to find the source of the beautiful music and it didn't take long before he did. He tensed when his golden eyes registered the platinum blonde hair glowing in the moonlight shining above him, enhancing it's bewitching appearance that all elves were born with.

Then, his ears registered the words that flowed from Legolas's mouth and into the open air, only he and nature being his audience. Still, he couldn't understand what he was singing, but he quickly recognized it as Sindarin. That didn't matter. His voice was enough to put him in the state he was currently in. A state that he desired to always remain in for as long as he lived.

Legolas abruptly stopped singing in the middle of a verse. His shoulders were tense and the ellon suddenly became much more alert than he had been only seconds ago. Jupiter didn't even flinch when he snapped his surprised gaze over to him through the darkness that was only lit by the moon's shine. He knew at some point he would find out he was standing there, watching him, he's an elf after all and they're well known for their hearing.

The elf himself wasn't sure what to say or do. He had only come out of the house to enjoy the silence that the night gifted him, and he ended up singing to fill the quietness. It was something that he did often when he was alone. He liked the way his voice was carried with the breeze for nature to hear, to sooth it when times become difficult.

When he heard something shift behind him though, his heart jumped and he looked back. The first thing his sharp eyes registered were golden orbs piercing through him in a way that made him shiver, brushing the involuntary action off as being outside for too long and the cold getting to him, though he knew that was a complete lie considering he knew for a fact that not even the frigid air of the snowy mountains made him flinch in the slightest. Jupiter didn't look surprised at all by his reaction. He just stared back with an unusual intensity that made him worry if his singing had bothered him in some way.

Just as he was going to open his mouth to project those thoughts, Jupiter moved forward and around the swinging bench to sit down on it, joining him. He remained silent as he dug into his pocket, and pulled out a small white box and lighter. He flipped the lid open and pulled out a white stick before placing it in his mouth. Quickly lighting the end with the flame of the lighter, he breathed in the smoke that seeped into his lungs as he pocketed both objects.

Legolas watched as he pulled it out of his mouth between two fingers and breathed out a long stream of grey. Jupiter scowled, continuing to look forward as he said, "Don't stop just because I'm here."

It took him a longer moment before he registered what he had said. So... It did not bother him. Jupiter, he dare thinks, probably likes it. A smile twitched up to his lips as he relaxed, looking forward once again as he allowed a new song to flow off his tongue.

Jupiter leaned his head back with his eyes closed and blew another cloud of smoke out as peacefulness once again consumed him. He knew he needed to go back inside to join Manny in bed and get at least a few hours of sleep, but...

Just... Just let him listen to the rest of this sorrowful Sindarin song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any spelling or grammatical errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP. :)


	6. VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The picture below is what Isabelle looks like - or what she generally looks like. :) (I originally edited the picture to make her hair a bit darker, but it wouldn't allow me to upload it onto here, so I'll just show the original picture.)
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

                                                                               

* * *

 Jupiter felt himself being shaken as he was roused from his sleep. He groaned, swatting away whatever was jostling him as he curled up in his blanket. He heard an annoyed huff and he was satisfied that whatever was trying to fully wake him up had given up. As he slowly felt himself sink back into darkness, there was the sensation of his bed moving before-

He cried out in alarm when he was thrown off his bed and onto the hard ground. Jupiter groaned as his arm screamed in pain, having landed on it upon impact. He opened his eyes as he turned onto his back and glared up at the snickering brunette, "What the  _hell_ , Manny?"

"Don't look at me like that, you wouldn't wake up!" She said with her hands on her hips, "You're lucky my phone went off, otherwise we both would have slept in. You're usually the one waking me up."

"Slept in?" Jupiter rasped, rubbing his eye tiredly while he sat up, "What are you talking about?"

"You fell asleep on the bench swing last night." Manny said looking down at him pointedly, "Now hurry up and get ready, or else I'm going to school without you."

"Yeah, yeah, sweet cheeks. Just gimme a sec." He said as he slowly stood up.

After Manny went back inside the house, Jupiter's vision cleared and he took a quick look around him. Just like she had said, he was outside and was right next to the bench swing, but how was that possible? Didn't he go back to his room after leaving the lab?

Then he remembered what he had done after eating some food. He had been listening to Legolas sing like some kind of creep before the guy ended up finding out that he was there, and after joining him on the bench he planned on listening to just one more song before apparently falling asleep right there on the bench after finishing his cigarette. He turned his attention to both the blanket in his hand and the pillow on the bench that were definitely not there before he fell asleep. Did Legolas?...

"Jupiter, hurry up!"

"Shut up, Manny! You're too loud in the morning!" He shouted back.

* * *

"Alright, so I have our numbers written on a piece of paper on the fridge, there are sandwiches in there that you can eat for lunch with some fruit, and if anyone knocks on the door don't answer it just wait until they leave. We'll be back at three and-"

"Jupiter, there is no need to worry." Aragorn chuckled in amusement, he and everyone else relieved that Jupiter was back to his normal self.

"Yes, we'll be good!" Pippin chirped and Merry nodded with him. He highly doubted it.

The red head sighed, shaking his head, "Sorry, I'll get going. Oh, and you two better not eat anymore of my candy, I'll know. Legolas, feel free to eat the chocolate."

"Hey, nerd, quit being a mom! We're gonna be late!"

Grabbing his bag he said his last farewells before hurrying out to the car. He had a feeling that today was going to be longer than it usually was.

* * *

Jupiter was relieved when lunch time came around. He didn't eat any of the cafeteria food of course, the food there was an abomination and the lunch ladies should be ashamed of themselves for cooking such piles of shit. Instead, he bought a bag of Doritos and an orange, and munched on them as he watched Manny finish her homework for next period.

Sometimes he wonders if she's serious about her education, especially when he finds her frantically doing homework twenty minutes before it's due. This time she had a sufficient excuse, the Fellowship really are a handful, so he didn't bitch about her not using her time wisely which in turn causes her to complain about him not doing his homework either, which eventually leads to a full blown argument that ends with Jupiter with a bruised arm.

With a relieved sigh, she closed her folder and put her pencil away to begin eating both of her grilled cheeses. They weren't even grilled, the bread was just toasted and stale while the cheese itself looked like the shiny processed ones that are individually packaged in plastic. Just watching her take a bite of the sandwich made him cringe. Thankfully, he convinced her to grab an apple and some of the tomato soup to go with it so she won't get a stomach ache.

Bread and cheese alone causes digestive problems if eaten in a large quantity. He was a bit of a hypocrite by eating Doritos, but he has an orange to go with it so it was better than two sad looking grilled cheeses. He's also not the one who snacks on junk food every hour like one certain senior.

"Hey, nerd, I've been thinking..." He turns his attention back to the girl, popping another chip into his mouth, "If the offer is still up, I'll move in with you. Ever since I got my own apartment, I've been at your place more than mine. It would be a waste of money if I don't actually live there, so like, I can help with paying bills and groceries, and-"

"Don't worry about that. We'll discuss money when bills come around, and we'll talk about buying groceries when we get to it." He tossed a chip onto her foam plate, "Took you long enough to agree."

"Thanks." She smiled at him before nibbling on the chip. Her eyes wandered off of him before narrowing, "Your girlfriend is here."

Jupiter didn't get a chance to turn his head on his own before someone took the seat on the other side of him, turned his head by cupping one of his cheeks, and locked their lips together. When she urged his lips to move against her's, he pulled away before it prolonged anymore to smirk down at her, "Hey."

"Hey, honey-bun." She pecked his cheek then turns her green eyes toward the girl next to him. " _Amanda_."

" _Isabelle_." She hissed back before ripping off another bite from her second sandwich.

Isabelle rolled her eyes dramatically before focusing on her boyfriend, clad in her outfit consisting of a long-sleeved sweater that hugged her figure and revealed her shoulders, and a pair of denim shorts. "Ray is planning a party. You coming with me?"

Jupiter shrugged carelessly, "Sure, text me the details. We can have our date before going."

She squealed in excitement which caused him to wince. Ow. After one last kiss, she wiggled her fingers in farewell before she went back to her own table with fellow cheerleaders who immediately pounced on her, firing off questions. Jupiter rolls his eyes at the sight of a couple of the cheerleaders trying to discreetly watch him, turning back to his lunch. He didn't care if they were staring, he was much too use to it, and he was sure that there were even more girls in the cafeteria doing the same thing but were doing a much better job at hiding it.

"I don't get it. Usually the popular guy that the head cheerleader goes out with plays football or something, but... I mean, you  _do_ work out andhave some muscle on you, but..."

The teen shrugged again and gave her his bag that still had Dorito crumbs in it, "That stuff happens in movies and stories made by people who run out of ideas. Plus, sports aren't my thing. I prefer science."

"I know, I'm your best friend, duh."

"The bestest."

"...That's not even a real word. Here I am thinking that  _you're_  the smart one. Wow."

* * *

Manny shut the door behind her with a yawn before shouting, "I'm home!" Almost instantly, everyone came pouring back inside from outside. They all, other than Legolas, had sweat soaking their shirts, a sign they were in the middle of training.

"Welcome back, Manny." Frodo smiled in a strangely charming way that made her feel like giggling. Dang her undeniable infatuation with the hobbit!

Gimli looked around, "Where is the other lad?"

She groaned at the mention of him and plopped down on the couch, dropping her backpack. "Detention."

"What is detention?" Sam asked as they all took a seat for a much needed rest. Pippin and Merry were competing on who could drink the rest of their water the fastest.

"Detention is keeping a student in school after it's over for an hour or two as punishment. Jupiter's been skipping some classes or doing something stupid, like replacing a teacher's lotion with some concoction that he whipped up in his lab that turns their skin blue temporarily and makes them itch the whole day."

"That's horrible!" Legolas said, surprised. Does he not give his teachers respect? After what he has seen from him all weekend, it shouldn't be a surprised, but still.

Manny sighed, "He just likes getting into trouble. It's a mystery to me, but trying to convince him to stop is useless. Besides, he only does it to people who deserve it. That lotion stunt? It was for a teacher that kept picking on him and telling him how he was never going to graduate."

She gave Pippin and Merrry a narrowed stare when they both looked at each other, grinning madly, "Don't get any ideas you two. One prankster is enough in this dang house, and God forbid we have two more." The both of them simultaneously raised their hands up defensively, giving her the most innocent look that they could possibly muster. She didn't believe it for a single second.

"And detaining them is the only punishment?" Boromir asked, "In my younger days, my tutor would slap my hand with a stick if I so much as turn my eyes away from him."

"That stuff isn't taken kindly around here. There are different types of punishments in school: detention, suspension, in school suspension - which is basically sitting in a room doing nothing for the whole day - and the worst one... Being expelled. You're removed from the school."

"Has Jupiter ever been expelled before?" Asked Aragorn.

"Nope. Some close calls, but no, not yet." Her phone rang a certain tune and she frowned, "Speak of the devil..." She realized it was a Face Time call and she held it up so that the camera showed her face properly before answering.

" _Hey there, sexy. You home?_ "

"Yeah. Everyone, say hi." She turned the phone towards them and they all awkwardly waved while voicing out hellos, amazed when they all saw Jupiter on the screen and themselves at the corner.

" _Hey, guys._ "

She turned it back towards herself and she rose an eyebrow when she sees him not in a classroom, but walking down a hall. "Where are you? I thought you had detention?"

" _The dumbass fell asleep fifteen minutes in so I left. Besides, I can't miss work, the place is going to be packed soon._ "

Manny groaned, leaning back on the couch. "Don't tell me you have work all week, I've got work too."

" _No,_ " On the screen, he ends up walking outside before glancing around, cursing with a scowl. " _I'm gonna need you to pick me up after work, Ray fucking ditched me._ "

"Not surprised."

" _Same, he's a dick. I don't even know why I still even tolerate him anyway. Oh yeah, maybe because his_ stepsister _is my fucking girlfriend._ "

"When are you coming back home?" She asks after glancing to find that everyone was half listening, half relaxing.

" _Six or seven. Need me to pick anything up before I hang up? I'm gonna be late if I don't start running._ "

"I need women products - if you know what I mean - and I need shaving cream."

" _Girly shit. Got it. See ya, sweet cheeks and everyone._ " Jupiter said before hanging up.

"He seems to be very busy..." Legolas frowned slightly, "Do you also have to work as well, Lady Manny?"

"Yeah, but that's later this week. And for the millionth time, just call me Manny." She rolls her eyes and stands up, "Anyway, I'm gonna do some homework before Jupiter starts nagging me about it. The nerve of him sometimes..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this one was short and nothing really interesting happened. I would have added more, but... Yeah. The next chapter will be much more interesting, I promise. :D


	7. VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an early update for all of you! Enjoy!
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter collapsed onto the bench swing in the backyard with a satisfied sigh and lit his cigarette. He took a deep breath and let the smoke pour out before exhaling the rest. Keeping the white stick clenched between his teeth, he popped his beer bottle open using the edge of the bench and drank it after taking the cigarette out of his mouth. Don't ask how he managed to smuggle the alcohol in his house or how he got it in the first place.

He leaned back on the bench, looking up at the night sky. It's been a couple of days since the beginning of the week and today he didn't have any work. Manny, who was currently helping around in the dance studios, has a job as a makeup artist at a store in the mall during the afternoon which she starts up again soon. He was still amazed by how talented she was in the arts, and was secretly impressed by her determination to improve her ballet and drawing.

He was slightly drained from today, but it was nothing that he couldn't handle. It helped that he calmed down in the lab and took his time instead of overwhelming himself.

It wasn't late, but it was late enough for everyone to just chill in the living room and watch another movie. He and Manny agreed that they shouldn't show them the  _Lord of the Rings_  movie unless they wanted to. Of course, they did, but the both of them stopped it before they entered Moria.

The reactions varied greatly. In the beginning, they had some laughs - especially when Pippin and Merry caused trouble with Gandalf's fireworks - some were neutral, some creeped out due to seeing their lookalikes on screen, some angry, and some sad. Mostly sad. After that, Manny had switched to _The Amazing Spider-Man_  and what they saw mostly slipped from their minds.

He smirked slightly remembering how Frodo and Manny were holding hands during both movies. They thought no one saw it, but he saw it. He definitely saw it. It was really hard to miss considering her cheeks were redder than his hair.

Taking another puff, he tried to figure out where he was going to take Isabelle after dinner and before the party. Probably to the movies or something, but that was the least of his worries at the moment.

A few months ago when they were just starting their relationship, he would be ecstatic to plan out their date and spend time with her, but now... He likes her. He does, but she isn't the same anymore. He feels like the feelings he once had were all just an illusion, but maybe he can take her somewhere and bring out what she once was. What she really is. A nice, caring girl. Not a bitch who thinks she's the queen of everyone and everything just because she's dating him.

A sudden weight on the bench next to him made him jump almost violently, nearly choking on his beer. Jupiter scowled at the other after his coughing fit was over, "Damn it, you scared the shit out of me! I'm gonna start calling you Twinkletoes if you keep it up."

Legolas seemed sheepish and apologized for the scare. He waved it off and took another puff, flicking the ashes off afterwards. "It's warm tonight. A strange change from it's usual coolness."

The scientist hummed in agreement, "Probably since winter is nearly over." He lazily gestured to some trees that were beginning to grow a few leaves. He blindly held out his beer towards the ellon, "Want some?"

There was a pause before the glass bottle was plucked out of his hand. Watching from the corner of his eye, he saw the elf stare at the bronze glass with curiosity before hesitantly drinking some of it. He scrunched up his nose slightly, "It has a strange taste... Bitter as well."

Jupiter smirked and took back the bottle, "Yeah, it doesn't taste great, but it's more for the buzz for me." He knocked the rest of the liquid back and set it aside. It wasn't until he straightened back up to continue smoking half of his cigarette did he realize that they just had an indirect kiss...

Heat spread over his cheeks at the thought and wondered why that bothered him. Manny and him sometimes took a drink from the same cup or bottle, and he and Isabelle sometimes ate out of the same spoon or fork. Not to mention when he and Legolas ate off the same utensil as well during dinner that one time, so what's the difference?

"Is there something on your mind, Jupiter?" The archer asked.

He snapped out of his thoughts at the question. Jupiter didn't have to turn his head to see that the other was looking at him now. "...Not really."

"You hesitated."

The teen rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his crimson hair that was free from his hat, "Alright, maybe I do, but it's nothing for you to worry about."

"Would you like to share?"

Jupiter met his gaze and found worry in his blue eyes. He was a bit surprised by it, but he could only assume that it was because of the dark circles under his eyes. It was nothing new, but they've been darker lately. He finally gave in when Legolas's eyes seem to sparkle in the moonlight insistently, "Fine."

He brightened and scooted closer, giving him his full undivided attention. The teen rose an eyebrow at this, but decided to just ignore it. Turning his body slightly to face him, he started, "I've just been thinking about Izz and I. We're going on a date soon and to a party afterwards."

"What are you celebrating?"

"Nothing, it's just for fun. Ray's hosting it, but I'm only going 'cause Izz wants me to." He blew another lungful of smoke to the side, away from the elf, "Anyway, I'm trying to figure out where to take her after eating. There's a bunch of stuff to do, but it's been hard to please her lately... Seriously, I take extra shifts for her at work to earn the money I need to take her out on a date, and at the end of the night she's complaining about where I took her even though she was the one who was begging to go there."

Legolas frowned and tilted his head, "Even if she did not enjoy her experience, wasn't she at least grateful for your effort?"

"No, a simple thank you would have made me happy." He scowled, "She's changed a lot. When I first met her, she was kind and gentle like a... Like a kitten. Then all of a sudden she just grew into this bitchy cat that clings to me like a leech and wants everything."

"Jupiter," The blonde gently pushed away his hand that held his cigarette, ready to take another long drag of it, "I do not know much of courting and romantic relationships. I have never been in one before, but I think the best thing to do is to speak to her about this. She must know how you feel about her behavior. You are still stressed because of this, perhaps it will help."

Adjusting his glasses, he went over his words. It made sense and he wondered why he didn't think of it. Maybe it was because a small voice in the back of his head told him it wouldn't work. All the same, it was advice and words that he needed to hear. He shot Legolas a small, thankful smirk, "Thanks, I hope you're right."

He finished off his cigarette before dropping it on the ground and crushing it with his foot. They both turned back to the night sky that held not that many stars, but a full moon made up for it.

* * *

Jupiter adjusted his tie for the millionth time that night. He had texted Isabelle to dress in something classy, but comfortable to move around in for the party later. For the night, he ditched his hat and usual clothing in favor of his black dress shirt tucked into his dark denim jeans along with a pair of black and white converse. His tie was white as well and was being stubborn with him.

After attempting to adjust it for the thousandth time, he gave up. He looked great still, so why bother? The door in front of him opened up to reveal his girlfriend who had, for once, listened to him. She was wearing a purple bodycon dress that fit snug on her body, showing off her curves.

She had a black cardigan to keep her warm, and her lips were shiny with lip gloss. To complete the look she also had stay-up thigh high stockings, her feet snug in a pair of black stilettos.

He frowned at the heels and she rolls her eyes, holding up her purse, "Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm bringing flats."

Jupiter nodded in satisfaction. There were countless of times when she wore high heels and ended up hurting her feet to the point where he had to give her piggy back rides, "Your parents aren't home?"

"No, they're on one of their getaways again." Izz smiled when he offered his arm to her. After locking the door, she locked her arm with his, "This is different, I never thought you would be such a gentleman."

"Well, we're going to a fancy restaurant, so I might as well take extra care of my lady." Jupiter smirked down at her as he escorted her towards his car. She giggled and slipped into the front seat after he opened the door for her.

Satisfied that the night was at a great start, they made their way to the restaurant Izz has been wanting to go to for the longest time, called Sierra Magu. Luckily, it wasn't far, but the prices are just ridiculous and he was absolutely dreading when he had to pay for the bill. They stayed silent during the ride, listening to the radio and saving the conversation for when they arrive.

Fifteen minutes and they were inside the dimly lit restaurant, their arms locked together. The restaurant itself was beautiful, tables and booths were spread out to give people privacy, and conversation was light and quiet. Perfect atmosphere for a date... But too romantic and cheesy for his taste.

They were seated at a booth, away from any wandering eyes. When he had opened his menu he had cringed so hard that he didn't cringe at all. Some of these things are  _triple digits_. The Italian cuisine has to taste better than Gordon Ramsay's cooking to deserve that price, otherwise he's going to be pissed.

"So, your friends from Arizona," Izz spoke up, "They're... interesting."

Jupiter quickly went through what he had rehearsed with Manny in case someone they knew mentioned them, "Yeah, they were all originally from England and moved to Arizona a few years ago. They're visiting for a while and I offered that they stay at my house."

"That's nice. Oh, speaking of visiting, you wouldn't believe what happened during rehearsal!-" He held back from sighing when she went off to another rant about some ex-cheerleader that wanted to get back in the team, since Izz had kicked her out because she wasn't skinny enough.

Why couldn't she just talk to him? Talk about her day, hell, even how her family is! Just without all of this damn high school drama. He even tried easing his way into taking Legolas's advice, but it was to no avail as she went on and on.

What finally silenced her was the waiter arriving with their meals. For a moment, he couldn't help but stare at him as he placed their meals in front of them, told them to enjoy, and walked away. The thing is, is that his eyes traveled down to his butt... He had a nice butt. Okay, what the fuck is wrong with him? God, everything that has happened since last Friday night is starting to make him go mental.

"Hey, Jupiter, hello?" He snapped out of it and looked at Izz, who was raising an eyebrow at him, "Do you not hear me? I asked you what time it was. Are you deaf or something?"

He sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that night and placed his hand over her's on the table, smirking, "Don't worry about it, the party can wait for us. Let's just enjoy our time here alone."

This response seems to satisfy her since she leaned over the table to peck his lips. She removed her hand from under his in order to start eating. His actions with the waiter soon slipped from his mind as he copied her.

Jupiter ate his ravioli, the cheapest thing that was on the menu, and ate it with slight satisfaction. It was tasty, so he was glad that he wasn't giving people his money for a pile of shit. Luckily, Izz found her food to be satisfactory as well.

They had cleaned off their plates and ordered dessert afterwards, which they shared. A simple three layer chocolate cake that was rich and sweet. It immediately reminded him of Legolas considering his new obsession with chocolate... He was actually starting to regret giving him permission to go in his chocolate stash.

When the bill came to the table, his face nearly went pale. It was less than what he imagined it to be, but still expensive. Nonetheless, he paid for it, took Izz to the movies to watch some chick flick that she had been wanting to watch, then they were heading to the party.

Once they arrived, Izz ran off to her girlfriends and did her usual thing while he went off to grab a beer. He stood off to the side in the corner, watching the already escalated party continue wildly. Jupiter wasn't too crazy about parties, the only thing he comes for is the alcohol and the music. Usually, he lets Izz do what she wanted and hang out with her friends, then when the party winds down he carries her intoxicated body back to the car and drive her back home. All he cared about, really, was making sure that she had fun.

For most of the party, he denied other girls that ask to dance with him and sipped on his drink, pacing himself since he has to drive. He kept his eye on Izz, seeing that she was too busy socializing to take more than one shot, which was a bit strange since she tended to go nuts with the strong stuff and he sometimes had to step in to stop her.

The whole night he never got the chance to have a serious talk with his girlfriend, but he knew that it would come around eventually. Jupiter nearly choked on his beer when he remembered checking out that waiter's ass. He was on a date and he was checking out some  _dude's_ ass. Let him repeat that again very carefully. He has a beautiful girlfriend, and when he was out on a date with her, he was checking out the waiter.  _The waiter_.

Really thinking about it now, he never checked out any girl, mostly his eyes would linger on a guy and he will now stop pondering over this because he has a girlfriend. Speaking of girlfriends... Where is she?

Frowning, he downed the rest of his beer and tossed it to some random direction. He pushed through sweaty, dancing bodies and tried to find a head of dirty blonde hair and a purple dress. Jupiter mentally cursed Ray for inviting so many people and escaped the dance floor in favor of searching her friends to ask them where she went.

He felt worry press down on him. More for what Isabelle was currently doing than her well-being at the moment. Drunk Izz can be crazy, but Sober Izz is unpredictable. He had a feeling that she was up to something and it was nothing good.

After a few minutes, he found the group, "You know where Izz is?"

One of the girls who had black hair pointed towards the stairs, "Ray told her something and went upstairs. They're probably talking."

Jupiter nodded and all the tension in his body left him. Ray may be a piece of shit, but he had been her stepbrother for years and actually cares about her like a brother should. He headed towards the staircase and checked his phone to find that it was two in the morning. He needed to take Izz home before her parents come back and start worrying. They don't need to know that she was at a party that their son was throwing at his house.

He kept his distance from couples and strangers making out in the halls, basically dry humping each other in their drunk states. Do these people not have a shred of decency, even when they're drunk? At least go into the bathroom or in a bedroom and make out...

The teen opened each door and peaked inside them. Some were empty, some he regretted looking into, and some were locked for reasons unknown. It frustrated him, and he was now wondering if that girl was lying to him as he reached the last door.

Before his hand even touched the knob, he heard Izz's voice inside. It was strange though, she didn't sound like herself... Pressing his ear against the door, he heard her muffled voice, " _Oh, Ray..._ " His curiosity got the best of him and he twisted the door knob, cracking the door open slightly. He peeked in before immediately closing it.

Backing away, his back hit the wall opposite of the door as he stared wide-eyed at it. He did not just see that. No, no, it was just a hallucination, it's the alcohol getting to him. Yeah, that's it! It's all in his imagination!

" _Shit, Ray! Harder! Yes!_ " He heard even more moans and pleasurable screams clearly through the music blasting downstairs, including the distinct sound of skin slapping against each other.

Jupiter bowed his head as if he were defeated. His expression was blank, his feelings perfectly being reflected onto his face. He just felt... empty. He wasn't sad or angry... Through that emptiness he just knew. He knew that it was going to happen, yet he had denied it constantly.

That Isabelle wasn't ᶓƀү ୴ղᥴ.

Like a ghost, he glided back down the stairs in a daze. As he made his way out the door, he grabbed a random unopened bottle of whiskey and went out to his car. Jupiter cared less if Izz didn't have a ride back home, Ray can fucking drive her there.

The drive was a blur and he parked his car once he got back home, grabbing the bottle of liquor as he exited. He made a b-line to the forest as he drank a mouthful of the bronze liquid. He might as well fill his emptiness with  _something_...

By the time it was a quarter empty, he had arrived to an old campsite. It was a small open area surrounded by trees and in the middle of it all, there's a dead tree trunk in the ground that had been used for the fire along with logs around it for people to sit on. The area was almost pitch black and there might have been all types of critters that he didn't want to get near, but he didn't give a shit. Instead, he focused on trying to think of reasons why Izz would do this, his reasoning becoming slower and stupider the more he drank.

It didn't take long before the alcohol hit him full force and he passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it weird that I'm pissed off at Isabelle? I mean, I am the one who made her do it... Sort of... Or was it her choice? Are we all doing what we want or are we all in a story too and doing what the writers want us to do?... I'll shut up now. The point is, I am very mad at Isabelle and I want to give Jupiter lots of cuddles and brownie batter ice cream.
> 
> And yes, ᶓƀү ୴ղᥴ was put in purposely as fancy gibberish. I wonder what it is... ;) (P.S. I'm not sure if the writing will show up for you, or if there will be those weird boxes or just a blank space...)
> 
> If there are any grammar/spelling mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	8. VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than usual! Enjoy! :D
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

His head fucking hurt.

He has had some bad hangovers, but this is the first time he drank to the point where he passed out from exhaustion and the sheer amount of alcohol that was going through him. It didn't surprise him at all when he woke up with a killer headache, and with a knot in his neck and back after sleeping on a log.

Now heading back home after realizing that the sun is almost all the way up from the horizon, he didn't bother fixing his clothes. His shirt was half tucked, his tie was extremely loose, and a little dirt was on his clothes. He can also imagine that he himself looked like shit with sickly skin - considering he threw up right after waking up - and dark circles under his golden eyes.

To get rid of the taste of vomit from his mouth, he took a couple of sips of what was left of his drink since it was the only thing he had on him at the moment. Jupiter felt like absolute crap both physically and emotionally. He didn't even want to go back home. He just wanted to go to a hotel and just stay there for a while alone to fully process what had happened last night.

Jupiter fumbled with his keys as he approached the back door, unlocking it, stepping in, and slamming it behind him. He went towards the stairs to go to his comfortable, fluffy bed and go into a deep slum- "There you are, you piece of shit!"

He froze at his spot and looked over to see everyone in the living room. The Fellowship were staring at him in shock at his state with Manny, and then there was  _her_. Emotions that he should have felt last night rose up again and he glared at the blonde girl that was wearing the same outfit as last night. He pointed at her with the hand that held his whiskey, " _You_. You get out of my fucking house."

Isabelle was just as shocked as everyone else by his exclamation, but she quickly recovered and glared back. "Me? Leave? I deserve an explanation of why you ditched me at the party! What were you doing? Getting  _drunk_?" She gestures to the bottle that he was holding.

"I'm the one who should be asking what you were doing, Isabelle. Get out, I'm already pissed off and I'm two seconds away from literally kicking you out."

"How dare you!" The cheerleader screeched, approaching him. "Why don't you ever listen to me? You're not the victim here, so shut up and tell me why you left me!"

"You know what, Isabelle, I'm fucking sick of it!" Jupiter bursts, "You're so ungrateful! What the fuck happened to you, huh?! You just want more, more, more, complaining when I give you the shit you want. And for your information, I do listen, because I actually  _cared_ about you. I gave a fuck about you!"

"What?! Me, ungrateful?! I've been with you for how long now? You should be the one apologizing for being such a dick-"

" _You fucked your stepbrother!_ " He screamed at her, all of his pent-up anger being put into those haunting words, causing everyone in the room to jump.

"She did  _what?!_ " Manny shouted incredulously.

"Jupiter... Honey bun... It-.. It wasn't-"

"You fucked your stepbrother, Isabelle. I  _saw_ you. I saw you having some good ol' fun with  _Ray_ ," He growled, "What did you say again while the both of you were having your little fun behind my back? 'Oh, Ray? Harder?'"

"I... I was drunk-"

" _Bullshit_ , you barely drank anything." He shook his head as his eyes began to sting, "I gave you so many chances. I thought that it would work out and I would come to truly lo-... to truly feel something real with you some day, but after last night... I'm done."

"Don't do this to me, please." She begged, tears already streaming down her face, "I didn't mean it... It's just that you never want to-"

"Don't lie to me. I know when you're lying."

"Fuck you!" Isabelle suddenly shouted, "You pull away before it goes too far when we make out, which - by the way - we only did once before you suddenly just didn't want to do that anymore! Don't think I didn't noticed that! And to add the icing on the cake, you never want to have sex with me! Isn't that what couples do?"

"So that's why you did it? Because I didn't whip my dick out for you?" Fury rose in him again, "All you wanted to do was  _fuck_ me? I- Get out. Get out of my damn house."

"But-"

"Get out, now. Go crawl back to your Ray and fuck him all you want, because we're  _through_."

Isabelle was quiet, trying to come up with another excuse, but knew it was in vain. She let out a frustrated cry and left, slamming the front door close. A few seconds later there was an engine starting and tires screeching.

Jupiter stared at the door for a long moment before turning to everyone who were still in a state of both shock and horror of what they had just witnessed. Manny, predictably, looked as if she's going to kill someone, but when her eyes met his they melted into worry.

"You don't have to tell me..." He told her shakily, "You're gonna say, 'I told you so', right? I didn't listen and I knew that you were right, but I thought that it could work out... I should have listened to you, Amanda."

He nearly stumbled back from both surprise and the impact the brunette made when she practically crashed into him, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Jupiter kept his hands at his sides, his body frozen, but an unknown force made him drop the bottle that he held in his hand and it made contact with the ground with a dull thud before he returned the embrace just as tightly while burying his face into her hair.

Manny pulled away and cupped his cheeks as she looked up at him, "Go upstairs and take a shower, put some clothes on, and try to get some sleep, okay?"

"But-"

"Hey, hey, hey, no buts." She gave him a small smile when he nods his head, "Good. Do you want to be alone?" He nods. "Okay, just call me if you need anything. Are you sure you will be alright?"

"I just... Need to think." He whispered quietly.

Manny pecked his cheek, telling him that she'll check up on him after a little while. He nods numbly again and turned around to make his way up the stairs, avoiding everyone's gazes as he disappeared from view. She bent down and picked up the half empty whiskey bottle. She stared down at it as her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Manny?"

She snapped her head up towards the Fellowship, just then remembering that they were all still there. "Jupiter will be alright... Right?" Sam said, worry written all over his face.

The brunette sighed, "I... I don't know, Sam. He's gone through so much and..." She shakes her head, "He's not a complete asshole. He has done some crappy stuff, I'll admit that, but he isn't bad enough to deserve any of the things that he was put through.  _Especially_  this. He just doesn't deserve it because despite him being a complete jerk, he's the only one besides my family who actually cares about me and like hell I'm going to let that bitch go running off without a bloody nose!"

Frodo and Aragorn were the first to launch forward to grab her, holding her back from grabbing her keys and running out the door to do exactly as she had said. "Manny, you are not thinking straight." The ranger told her sternly, "I know that you are angry that she hurt Jupiter deeply, but hurting that girl in return will solve absolutely nothing."

"Don't give me that crap! If he can beat up some people for talking crap about me when I tell him not to, then I can at least go beat the crap out of that cheating, greedy bitch!"

"Lady Manny," Legolas came around to in front of her and firmly placed his hands on her shoulders, "Listen to yourself. You are blinded by your anger and thirst for revenge. You must put that aside, for Jupiter is upstairs, suffering from the betrayal as we speak. I-...  _We_  wish to help him as well, but this is not the way. He needs  _you_."

She slowly began to calm down and nods, realizing just how rash her actions had been, "You're right. I'm sorry, all of you didn't need to see that or any of this-"

"You should get some rest, las." Gimli suggested kindly, "It's been rough for the both of ya's."

"You can rest in Sam and I's room if you like." Frodo said.

"Thanks, I think I will." Manny says before holding up the bottle in her hand, "After I throw this out. I can't have him drinking the strong stuff while he's like this..." She then wandered off to the kitchen.

* * *

Jupiter carefully folded up a piece of paper into a neat square and tied a red ribbon around it, tying it off with a bow. Opening a jar that sat right next to him on his desk, he dropped it inside with many others and closed it again.

He felt that there should be more letters considering all of the things that has happened to him, but he felt that it was best to just do one or two every month or, if nothing happens, to skip a month. This was his third one this month, the first complaining about Isabelle's behavior, and the second about the Fellowship. He stared at the many papers that sat within the jar innocently, some being printer paper, others torn out of a notebook.

Believe it or not, he has been doing this for the past four years. Whenever something changes dramatically in his life, he writes a letter to them, either be good or bad. Sometimes when he has the urge to write to them, it'll be very short and would usually just be something that he did that day.

Jupiter huffed and placed it on the floor before kicking it with his bare foot in order for it to roll back to it's rightful place under the bed. He brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he laid his head on top of them. The house was unusually quiet, something he would worry about if it weren't for the fact that half an hour ago, his guests had witnessed him dramatically breaking up with his girlfriend.

He should have expected this. Really, he should have, this was Isabelle we're talking about, but he had just put way too much trust in her. Jupiter scoffed at the thought of her and her stepbrother. It wasn't illegal or anything since they're not related by blood, but for almost their whole lives they had grown up together as siblings so he was still trying to process how this happened.

Wait, no. No, he doesn't need to process this at all. It's over and done with, and that's that. He's not going to cling onto this any longer like he had done so many times before. It was best to nip it at the bud while he still can. But it still doesn't mean he wasn't sad and pissed off. Maybe not so sad now, maybe a little bit more pissed off. Okay, he was extremely pissed off right now.

Jupiter slid off of his chair to pace back and forth in his room before he decides to unleash his anger on his desk, and he definitely doesn't want to slave over rebuilding another from Walmart. For four years he has been looking. Four very long years and he's starting to doubt whether who he was looking for was really out there. He wondered why he couldn't find them. Was he not good enough? Was he not looking hard enough? Did they not exist at all? Was it just something his mother said so he had something to look forward to in life?

Was it all a lie? A horrible, horrible lie?

Or maybe what she saw was only in her head. Just a hallucination that her mind accumulated considering how much b-

With a sudden rush of fury, his fist made contact with the wall. He breathed heavily as he pulled it back to reveal another hole in the wall out of many others that he had created that were mostly fixed, the ones that were not fixed being hidden. The throbbing pain in his knuckles didn't faze him, in fact, his senses were numb and his vision became a bright red. He blindly ripped posters off the wall, revealing the hidden holes that he punched through it that he was too lazy to fix.

Everyone he starts caring for always does this.

He kicked his computer chair into the wall with a resounding thud. Taking no consideration of his earlier thoughts and swiping everything off of his desk - which consisted of many papers and other writing utensils, along with his laptop and gaming console - before giving it the same fate that the chair had received.

They always rip themselves out of his life once they get what they want!

With a grunt, he grabbed the glass of water that Manny had brought up to him earlier after taking his shower and threw it against the wall. Water and glass sprayed everywhere on the other side of the room with a loud screech upon impact.

They always care about a specific aspect of him! They're all fake!  _Fake!_  Always trying to act like someone else to get close to him, to manipulate him!

He went over to his dresser and pulled it with an enraged cry, causing it to slam onto the ground, vibrating the floor thunderously.

Except Manny.

Why can't they be like Manny? Why does he always have to deal with this shit?

He faintly heard the sounds of multiple fast footsteps as he made to go grab the next thing that was within his reach to destroy, but froze when his gaze drifted down. The papers that he had swiped off of his desk were hiding a pile of pictures. He bent down and picked them up as his hands trembled at what he saw. They were all pictures of him and Isabelle.

She had developed a bunch of pictures she had taken of the both of them throughout their relationship, saying that she wanted to work on a photo album with him because she thought it was 'cute'. Of course, she eventually forgot all about it and he had planned to make it himself to surprise her on her birthday.

Clenching them in his hand, he threw open his closet and pulled out a worn out gym bag. He then quickly went to his door, opening it just in time for him to see his frightened best friend run up to his door with the elf, the dwarf, and Aragorn.

They all stared at Jupiter as he panted heavily with two things clenched tightly in his shaking hands. He had the scariest glare pinned on the lot of them when he opened the door before silently slipping past them, stomping off down the hall and downstairs before the backdoor slammed close.

Manny peered inside his bedroom and gasped, "Oh no..."

"The room, it's..." Aragorn shook his head slightly as he took the honors of stepping inside to examine the full extent of the destruction, "Did he do all of this?"

"Be careful, there's broken glass right there." Gimli warned as he did the same.

The brunette hesitantly followed along, "This is... Crap, he punched another hole in the wall."

Legolas stayed outside of the room and looked at the damage numbly. A heavy weight laid upon his heart, a sudden understanding washing over him as he thought of those times when Jupiter would occasionally play that wretched music. Just like Manny had told them all, it was very much obvious now how serious his anger problems were, but now he knows that he hasn't always been like this. It has developed over time. Manny had told them all that he has been through much. A long time of suffering that has built up, and his only way of coping with it was with anger, either he's aware of this or not.

He furrowed his brows as his mind quickly went through this. He was confused on how he had came to this conclusion just by seeing the result of his rampage, it didn't make sense. But then he remembered the glimmer that he caught on Jupiter's cheek and in his eyes for a split second as he sped away after opening his door.

That image of Jupiter remained glued into his mind as he stepped away from the scene and went downstairs to follow after the fleeing red head.

* * *

He glared at the fire in front of him as it ate away at the dead branches, having already consumed the gasoline poured over it and the dead trunk. He sat on one of the logs, throwing each picture one by one into the fire without bothering to look at any of them. He took great satisfaction at the sight of them fluttering into the flames before being burned away into nothing. The sight of something that now disgusted him being destroyed by something that he loved was pleasurable to say the least.

Jupiter tossed the last and final picture into the fire without hesitation, sighing in relief as the fire jumped and crackled in response to being fed. The heat that washed over him from the flames calmed him down from his violent rage along with the very fact that he was able to destroy something that had the face of his main source of anger.

Now that the adrenaline was out of his system and his mind was clearer, he felt both exhausted and a little guilty. From his near emotional breakdown during the break up, to all the way to almost completely wrecking his room, and scaring Manny and everyone half to death. He regretted not at least trying to take control of his anger, but he would be lying if he said that the chaos he had created in his room didn't make him feel better.

Jupiter didn't even flinch or react when he felt someone sit next to him on the log. He just quickly pulled out his box of cigarettes, put one in his mouth, and lit it. He rests his elbows on his knees, "What do you want, guinea pig?"

"Nothing." The other said simply, "And my name is Legolas."

He just shrugged, flicking off ashes from the white stick. His hands still trembled slightly every time he brought it up to his mouth, but he felt significantly calmer with the other sitting at a safe distance beside him. Jupiter turns his head to blatantly stare at him. Legolas also turned away from the fire upon sensing his eyes on him and returned his gaze steadily.

"You saw it, right?" The scientist said, "Manny probably told you already how unfriendly I am when I'm extra pissy, so I don't even see why you want to be anywhere near me right now."

"Just because you are rather dangerous when you're in an unpleasant mood, doesn't mean I can't." The elf was the first to break the gaze, looking back at the fire that was slowly simmering down into a low flame. In a few minutes it'll completely go out, that much was obvious. "And what I saw was the result of heartbreak. Do not think I haven't done or felt the same thing you have at some point."

"I wasn't. All I'm saying is that you should be at least a little scared talking to me, let alone be here with me. It's even a mystery to me whether or not I'll snap and hurt you because you said the wrong thing."

"But I am speaking to you, still unharmed am I not?" A small smile tugged at Legolas's lips as he glanced down from the corner of his eyes, "You think of me to be afraid, perhaps you think that I want to leave. Or maybe you want me to be afraid and to leave so you will be alone. But I do not think that you really do want those things considering that ever since we began speaking to each other properly you have stopped shaking like a leaf."

Jupiter shot his eyes down to his hands in alarm to find that they were indeed no longer shaking. A twitch here and there, but it was nothing compared to what he was going through only seconds ago. He scowled as he forced himself to no longer stare at them, "You shouldn't boost your own ego like that, it's not healthy."

Legolas almost let out a small chuckle when he realized that he did not deny his statement and said suddenly, "Everyone is worried. Especially Lady Manny."

"Oh, really?" He said in the most disinterested tone he could muster.

"Yes, and-" The elf gasped, his eyes widening when his eyes trailed down, "You are bleeding!"

Jupiter blinked dumbly, "Huh?" He followed his gaze to the ground and nearly winced at the sight of blood coating the dirt beneath his foot. A hiss left him as the pain finally registered beneath his foot, hurriedly lifting it off the ground to keep the pressure off the mysterious wounds, "It's nothing."

"Nothing?" The archer blanched as he stood, "You are injured, Jupiter. It can get infected and I will not allow that to happen!"

"And I said that it's nothing! I'll be perfectly fi- _Hey!_ " His eyes blew comically wide when one second he was sitting on the log and the next, Legolas had swiftly slipped his arms beneath his knees and lower back, picking him up effortlessly. He instantly began to struggle in his arms, "What the fuck?! Put me down, I'm not a fuckin' princess!"

"Jupiter, stop moving or else I will make sure Merry and Pippin take a hold of your sweets!"

Now that got Jupiter to freeze in the midst of pulling his fist back to punch his arms. With a withering glare, he slowly lowered his fist and hissed, "You win this round,  _elf_."

A sense of foreboding washed over Legolas upon hearing his displeased words, but he shook it off. Instead, he glanced back at the fire pit that no longer held a fire, only a smoking trunk, before proceeding to carry the other back to the direction of the house. The stiff body in his arms was unexpectedly light, he noted, and he just then began to register that this may or may not be inappropriate thus a light blush appeared on his cheeks. It must of been a strange sight, he thought to himself, especially since they were both the same height. But then he remembered and reassured himself that he is only doing this because Jupiter is unable to walk and that was the only reason.

Jupiter, on the other hand, tried to focus on something other than the warmth enveloping him completely and the fact that he slowly began to relax in his arms.

When they had entered the house it was unsurprising when they were both bombarded with questions of where they had gone, which quickly switched to what had happened to Jupiter upon seeing his bloody foot. His head began to remind him that it had just went through drinking a shit ton of whiskey and he laid his throbbing head on the only thing that he had, which was Legolas's shoulder.

Everyone took a good look at the tired expression on Jupiter's face along with his eyes squeezing shut and they all wisely quieted down. Once they did, Legolas explained to them that he had only cut his foot and carried him because he was unable to walk, mentally noting that Manny, Aragorn, and Gimli were not with them. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that Jupiter had fully relaxed in his arms or had rested his head on his shoulder.

Remembering that Jupiter had a kit full of medicinal supplies, he carried him down the hall towards the lab door. Legolas sighed when he saw the key pad by the door, "Jupiter, what numbers do I press?"

"I'll do it, just put me dow-"

"No." He cut him off, "I rather not you get hurt anymore than you already are."

Jupiter thought he heard something off with his voice as he said that, noticing that he felt his body being pulled ever so slightly closer to him. Was he really that scared that he would get hurt again? He had already told him that he wasn't some delicate flower and was tempted to remind him, but thought better of it. His headache was killing him and an argument would just make it worse. He gave a long sigh before telling him the passcode.

As soon as they entered the lab, he was gently set down on his computer chair and Legolas bustled around the lab, making no move to stop him. Jupiter watched him carefully with furrowed brows as he seems to have found everything that he needed without a problem. Either he was a lucky guesser, an amazing observer when Jupiter works in the lab, or just has really good memory.

Legolas sat down on the stool after gathering everything he needed and pulled his foot up to his knee, beginning by cleaning the dirt and blood off of it. Instead of watching his skillful hands tend to his foot, he stared at the elf himself. His eyebrows were knitted together in concentration as he examined his now clean foot, "There is glass embedded in your wounds."

"There are forceps in the first aid kit." He nodded over to the large white box.

Heeding his words, Legolas retrieved the forceps and didn't question it's strange name, "This will hurt." He warned.

"Just do it." Jupiter did nothing more than flinch as he dug the metal tool into his cut, but internally he was screaming a nice colorful rainbow that would surely send him to hell. Not wanting to repeat the words out loud, he returned his attention onto Legolas who had the concentrated expression back on his face.

After the bits of glass was taken out of his cuts, the elf took extra care in disinfecting it, applying ointment, and gently wrapping it in bandages. As he wrapped the bandages, Legolas's eyes glanced down to his uninjured foot and paused, "What are those markings?"

Jupiter followed his gaze, "Just a tattoo. It's created from injecting ink into the skin. Mine is permanent."

"What is it suppose to be? It looks like..."

"A chemical compound? Yeah."

The red head saw that he wanted to ask more about it, but he instead returned to his current task. The pain returned to a dull throb, but the warmth radiating off of the ellon's hands overpowered the discomfort. God, why was this guy so  _warm_?

Jupiter sighed remembering what had caused this in the first place. All because of his stupid temper... "I'm sorry."

The elf looked up, surprised by his sudden words, "What are you apologizing for?"

"Losing my shit. You didn't need to see that."

Legolas sighed, tying off the bandages, "Like I had said before, it is not your fault. I would feel the same as you had before, only I would have released my stress much differently."

"But..."

"If you wish to apologize, then it is not me that you should say sorry to." He gently slid his foot off of his knee to place it back on the ground, "It is the others. I was not lying when I said that they are all worried about you, like I had been. Manny was the most worried out of us all, of course. In fact, she had been so angry with that girl that we had to keep her from running out of your home to kill her."

A small smirk twitched up to his lips and Legolas found himself smiling at the sight that he strangely had begun to miss, "That sounds like her." His smirk dropped as fast as it appeared and he shrugged, "I guess you're right."

Legolas stood, holding out a hand for him to take, "Good. Now, would you care for some food? You have not eaten a thing since you have returned."

Jupiter stared at the hand for a long moment before taking it. And for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he had hesitated taking his hand into his.

* * *

_ůղ ղᥴ,_

_I broke up with Isabelle. She is not_ _ůղ ղᥴ,_ _and will never be_ _ůղ ղᥴ_ _. Of all people... She did it with Ray. I trusted her. I trusted that she would never do it again, because I liked her._

_Because I liked her. I never felt more than that._

_I'm currently trying not to be a little bitch and cry_ _, but writing this down and telling you makes me feel happy. I might have to wait longer, maybe years, until I find you, but after breaking up with her it means that I'm just one step closer._

_I'm a mess. I just want to jump off a cliff or something. Not to die, but just to... Fly. I want to leave and be free of all of this drama, to forget about Isabelle and the pain she had put on me. I'm sorry that you're getting this type of letter again, but I want you to know so that you don't have to ask, you just know._

_Isabelle, I'm already forgetting. Well, at least trying to forget. The sadness and anger is all from not finding you yet again. Mother told me that she saw me... She saw me truly smile with_ _ůղ ղᥴ_ _. Did she lie? Are you not out there? Do you not exist?_

_It's tearing me apart. I can feel that you're close, yet so far. Where are you? Who are you?_

_If I find you, will you feel the same for me as I do for you?_

_\- Jupiter_

_#75_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Jupiter finally breaks up with Isabelle and Legolas saves the day! *sniffles*
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and yes, once again I have done the gibberish stuff. I'm not telling you what it is quite yet - not for a while that is. Hehe, sorry.
> 
> If there are any grammar/spelling mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	9. IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chappy that's a bit long. :D Enjoy!
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter was having a small crisis.

Everywhere he had gone that day, he noticed how his eyes lingered on particular people. He noticed how his thoughts strayed as would any other guy would. The problem? They were all  _dudes_.

This isn't the first time this happened. He'll admit that he dated so many girls in middle school partially to distract him from this problem of his that he just could not understand. Since he had dated so often, the distraction helped tremendously and he pushed away his subconscious trying to tell him that this was the wrong way to deal with his discovery.

Now he understood why his younger self wanted a distraction from this. It was beyond perplexing for him and he wasn't sure whether or not to trust his subconscious with this situation. But then again, when he had kissed his exes it just felt... wrong. Even when it was just a little peck. Somewhere in him, he desired lips to move against his from a specific person and they certainly weren't fe-

_Woah_.

Okay, he needs a distraction before his brain melts from all of this deep reading of his feelings. Long since has he cleaned up his room of it's mess, having spent the Sunday morning patching up the hole he had punched into the wall and the old ones along the way. As he did all of this, including going out to buy the supplies he needed to fix the hole, Manny had went off to go to her apartment to move out.

Frodo had took it upon himself to help her and she did not protest at all. In fact, Jupiter was surprisingly the one to push them out the door with a sickly sweet smirk and told them not to have too much fun. Oh, he just loved teasing that girl. Hopefully she won't pass out from fangirling while having alone time with her favorite hobbit.

Deciding that going on the internet was just begging for him to see some bullshit that he rather not see that had to do with two certain pieces of shit -  _cough_  Isabelle and Ray  _cough_  - he went over two other options. Either go down to the lab or read a book that he had on his bookshelf. Honestly, he rarely read despite how many books there were. They all mostly consisted of books read to him when he was a child as a bed time story. Maybe he should read one about bioenergetics that he bought out of spite at the time, but maybe it will have something that'll help with his lab work.

He glided over to his bookcase against the wall - he was still shocked that his enraged self didn't decide to push it over - and scanned over the titles written on the spine of the books. He easily found the thick book and slid it out of it's confinements, cursing when a book came out along with it and onto the floor. Kneeling down, he made to pick it up, but froze when his eyes read the hard cover of the book.

Jupiter's cheeks warmed from embarrassment, remembering that this was also a purchase that he made from a spur of the moment. He had seen it in the bookstore and... And he just couldn't resist it, especially when he read the basic summary on the back of it.

The title silently taunted him as he stared back.  _The Peculiar Wonders of Love, Sexuality, and Sexual Orientation_  it said. Sexual orientation were the two words that stuck out to him like a sore thumb. Putting back the bioenergetics book, he reached for the book that had nothing but a black cover and white words written in cursive consisting of the title and author.

"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" He muttered to himself before standing up fully, kicking off his shoes, and collapsing onto his bed. Grumbling to himself in displeasure of his curiosity getting the best of him, he stumbled upon the table of contents and flipped straight to the part of the book that pestered his mind.

* * *

"Thanks again for helping me out, Frodo." Manny smiled at the hobbit who helped lift out the suitcases from the trunk of her van. "It would have taken twice as long without you."

"You're welcome, it is not a problem at all." He returned the smile, watching the woman shut the trunk close before locking the car. They both grabbed a couple of suitcases and rolled them up to the front door.

Before she unlocked the door she turned to Frodo and quickly pecked his cheek. She was too busy hurriedly inserting the key and twisting it to open the door to notice the hobbit put a hand over the place she had kissed with slightly wide eyes.

A grin spread across his face, internally doing a gleeful dance as they stepped inside the house. "We're back!" Manny shouted with a light blush on her face.

"Manny, Frodo." Boromir nodded in greeting, "No trouble along the way I see?"

"Nope, everything went a-okay." She gave a thumbs up before looking around, "Is Jupiter in his dungeon?"

"No, he has been upstairs since you left." Sam informed her, "Well, other than to eat, but he brought the food back to his chamber."

"Weird..." Manny muttered, "Either he's finally taking a nap or he's doing homework, and I know he does neither. I'll be right back, Frodo you can just bring the suitcases by the stairs." She then quickly rolled her own suitcases over to the staircase before running up them. Jupiter never stayed inside his room for this long without a reason and after what had happened the other day, she was predictably a little nervous about what she'll stumble upon.

The brunette didn't even bother to knock on the door. She slammed the door open without any mercy and her eyes immediately found Jupiter, who laid on his stomach on the bed, a book opened in front of him. He jerks his head up, startled by her violent entry, "What's got  _your_  panties in a bunch?" He asked at the sight of her wide eyes.

"You're... reading." Manny said slowly. "You are reading a book."

Jupiter genuinely looked confused by her reaction to this, "Yes? Did you hit your head on the way here or something?"

"But you've been here for two hours. Jupiter, you don't stay in your room for that long to read a  _book_."

"I always read books though." Now he was getting annoyed by her insistence that this discovery was strange and needed to be pointed out.

"Yeah, gigantic books that has big words in it and only in the lab. That right there is a normal book and you're reading in your room."

Jupiter rolled his eyes and quickly memorized the page that he was on before closing it, making sure that he shut it the opposite way so she wouldn't see the cover. "You need to stop watching crime shows so often, Manny. You're looking way too into this, the book just interested me that's all."

"Interest you, huh?" She crosses her arms, "I wonder how interesting it is."

"Manny."

"Alright, alright, fine! You just gotta understand that it's weird to see you reading in here. You pretty much always read down in your dungeon."

"Yeah, I know. And it's not a dungeon, it's a lab." Jupiter scowled as he went to his bookcase and slid the book back to it's original place. "Did you get your stuff?"

"Yep! I'll bring them up here. Oh, by the way, you're helping me put everything away."

"Lovely, now shoo." He made a motion with her hand. He snorted when she blew a raspberry at him before leaving the room.

Jupiter watched as she leaves before quickly turning back to the bookcase, retrieving the book he had just been reading. He glared down at the title with the most utmost fury. What it was saying... It has to be lying. He can't be- No, he can't be what he thinks he is. It's not like it was bad or anything, but he can't have been looking for the wrong person this whole entire time!

He hasn't quite finished reading the section just yet, but it was enough for him to start thinking more about himself. Jupiter took a deep breath before dropping it and gently kicking it so it slid underneath his bed. He'll finish the section at one point, but not right now. He has a lot of reflecting to do. About everything.

Starting with the first one he had thought was ᶓƀү ղᥴ.

* * *

"ID?"

"Here."

The middle-aged man behind the counter practically snatched the card out of his hand and examined it. He gave a nod, passing it back before going to the back where all of the tobacco-stuffed sticks were neatly put on the shelves in little boxes. He came back with a certain brand of cigarettes that the red head had asked for and placed it on the counter before pressing numbers on the cash register, "Six-fifty."

He handed the exact amount of money before grabbing the cigarettes and leaving the convenience store into the cool night air. Jupiter pulled up his hood onto his head before lighting one of the white sticks. Oh, the perks of having a fake ID.

Jupiter had made some excuse to everyone back home that he was going to run some last minute errands, but Manny didn't seem that convinced. She knew exactly what he was going to do and she only told him to be careful. Why does she have to know him so well? It makes sneaking off to buy cigarettes, and maybe some beer along the way, hard to do.

Smoke curled around his lungs soothingly before being pushed out and up into the open air. He didn't know where the hell he was going. He had planned on going back home after getting his cigarettes, but then he had gotten the sudden desire to wander around the city. A few people walked past him every minute or so, some rushing by and minding their own business, some drunk from nightly activities. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He cursed when someone bumped into his shoulder, "Watch it!" The person, a man in a business suit, spat before moving along and returning to his conversation on the phone.

"Dickhead..." Jupiter muttered as his eyes followed after him before they trailed over to the building he was next to. He rose an eyebrow at the name of the small establishment,  _Genna's Ink Haven_. He stared at it for a minute... then shrugged, dropping the now useless cigarette butt and crushing it underneath his foot, "Screw it."

As he walked through the door with a jingle of a bell, he was instantly met with rock music. The song that was currently playing wasn't that great, but he didn't dislike it and made him relax slightly. The interior of the tattoo parlor wasn't dark nor bright, the floor was black vinyl and the walls were a smooth, shiny wood. It felt homey for a tattoo parlor.

"Hello!" A woman with short ginger hair said from behind the desk that donned binders, a touch screen for what he assumed was a cash register, and other paper and materials neatly laid out on it. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really. I just saw this place and wanted to check it out." Jupiter said as he pulled down his hoodie.

"Oh, well then feel free to look at all of the designs we have." She smiled pleasantly, gesturing to the binders, "My name is Luna by the way."

"Jupiter." He approached the desk and immediately filed through the pages of the binder. His brows rose, "Woah, these are almost as good as my friend's."

Luna wasn't deterred by the backhanded compliment, only laughing and saying, "She must be an amazing artist then if her's is better than Genna's."

"Well, she has a knack for it along with dancing." He closed the binder, "Actually, are you able to do a design that she made? She said she wanted it tattooed on her, but her family is crazy about getting tattoos - and she rather not get it done anyway because of the pain."

She laughs and nods, "Sure! It's no problem, c'mon, let's discuss everything in the back."

And then half an hour later, Jupiter found himself laying down on his stomach with his shirt off and trying not to hiss at the intense burn being inflicted on his right shoulder blade. Genna, the one who was currently tattooing him, relieved him of the pain to wipe off excess ink, "You're doing well. Is this your first time getting a tattoo?"

"No, I have another on my foot." He bit his bottom lip when the buzzing returned, "How about you? How many do you have?"

"Too many to count." She chuckled, flipping her purple and blue bangs away from her eyes with a small jerk of her head, "But my girlfriend probably kept track of all of them, so you should go ask her if you're still curious."

Jupiter's eyes opened, "Girlfriend?"

"Yup, she's the one who got you all ready to go for me." Genna paused and frowned, "Is that a problem or?..."

"No!" He quickly said, "No. Nothing like that, it doesn't matter to me, but..."

"But?"

Jupiter took a deep breath and swallowed his pride for this last question, "How did you know?"

"I can't exactly answer that question when I don't even know what exactly you're talking about."

"Y'know, like..." He shrugged slightly with his bare shoulder, "Being gay."

The buzzing abruptly stopped and there was a small silence. "Oh." Was all she said before taking her time to wipe off excess ink again. "Well, I just kinda knew, I guess. I mean, I've dated a few guys before but that didn't mean I actually liked them like I thought I did. It wasn't until my mom forced me into an all girls school and met Luna did I realize I wasn't as straight as I thought I was. It's different for everyone. Some just know their whole lives, others... well, it takes some time for them to figure it out."

"Oh." Jupiter muttered, not knowing what else to say. Her experience sounded a bit similar to his, but without any struggling.

"Let me guess, you're confused?"

"I... I don't wanna talk about it." He muttered, "Thanks for telling me."

"No problem." Thankfully, she didn't question why he didn't want to talk about it, she simply continued her work in silence.

After what felt like hours of laying there and enduring the painful burning that he could only describe as hot claws of a cat scratching him, Genna announced that she was finished with her work before leading him over to a mirror so he can took a look at it. "Holy-" His eyes widened when he craned his neck over his shoulder to look at the mirror. "This is..."

"Amazing? Yeah, I know." Genna smirked as she too admired her own work. "That friend of your's has talent. It would be great if I got a chance to chat with her and see more of her work."

"I'll tell her that." He nods, "Thanks for the tattoo, it's perfect."

And indeed it was, after all, Manny was the one to draw it. It was all inked in black, a raven on his right shoulder blade that seemed to dissolve into a leaveless tree that lead up to the back of his neck. The part where it began to dissolve, which was a wing and the main part of it's body, was not tattooed and looked like roots of the tree. Depending on how you look at it, there could be many meanings to it, which was why it was such an amazing piece that Manny had created, though her original work of it was on a larger scale with many other elements to the masterpiece.

Once he carefully put his shirt and jacket back on after patching up the tattoo to protect it, he paid and tipped them before leaving with another thanks and a farewell.

It was completely dark outside now, signalling that it was time to wrap things up and head home. Though, he took his time and enjoyed the cool air seeping through his hoodie to sooth his new markings, walking aimlessly with a cigarette between his teeth. Despite how painful it was, the tattoo felt right to have. If he has a tattoo for him and ᶓƀү ղᥴ then it wouldn't feel right if he didn't have one for Manny.

His feet ended up leading him to the park where he leaned against a nearby tree, basking in the silence of the open area. There were only a few other people out that also came for the silence or were just leaving. Jupiter sighed out another breath of smoke and closed his eyes contently. Nothing. Absolutely nothing could ruin this moment for him.

"Well, well, well, look who it is."

Okay, maybe one thing could ruin this moment.

He opened his eyes in disinterest to see the last person he wanted to see along with his little goons. Jupiter's golden eyes narrowed as he pushed himself off of the tree, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, "Giovanni."

"Holo." Ray growled, "A little birdie told me that you broke up with Izz."

"Yeah, I did. Problem?"

He took a threatening step forward. "Problem is, is that she came home, crying. What the hell did you do to her, huh?"

"She didn't tell you?" Jupiter snickered, "Oh man, that's just hilarious! She comes home crying to her Ray and she doesn't even tell you why I cut it off with her?" His mocking grin dropped along with his cigarette - which he stomped on - and he glared darkly at him, "I saw you fuck her, that's why."

He took great satisfaction at the sight of his flabbergasted expression that replaced his scowl, even his followers looked surprised. "How long have you been doing it? A week? A month? Or was it a one time thing? It makes me wonder why you did it... Why you would have sex with a girl that's been your sister for how many years now?"

Ray opened his mouth to unleash a torrent, but he quickly shut his mouth. Taking a step back, he made a motion with his hand.

Jupiter's eyes widen as the three guys behind him, probably on his football team, charged right towards him. He managed to side step a punch aimed at his face just in time from one of them. Without hesitating, Jupiter slammed his fist straight into his opponent's nose and a sharp crunch echoed around them along with a scream as he fell onto the ground, cradling his bloody nose.

Tensed and ready, he waited for the rest to make their next move. The next few minutes were a blur as he took painful hits from the other two slaves of Ray, trying his best to either block or dodge him. This definitely wasn't his first fight, no, he has had way too many and thus has much more experience in them, and everyone that knows him knew this. Which was how he easily beat down the two who couldn't even properly throw a punch, let alone handle receiving one.

Immediately after the last one dropped, a fist slammed into the side of his face. He growled and hopped back to avoid another onslaught of hits. Deciding to ignore the fact that just clenching his teeth hurt his cheek, he continued his attempts at dodging and blocking. Unfortunately for him, Ray hits hard, which caused bruises to form on his forearms when his fists made contact with them instead of his face or torso.

His sensitive skin stung painfully beneath his clothing, but he ignored that as well, instead exchanging blows with the football player in front of him. Before the both of them knew it, they were being tackled onto the ground.

Thinking that it was one of the slaves from earlier, he elbowed the one trying to pin him down on his stomach and kicked him away once he rolled over. This time, he was pinned again and his eyes widen when they caught sight of a familiar uniform.

Jupiter winced when his hands were forced behind his back as the one cuffing him recited the Miranda Rights that he most likely said a million times in his experience. Being forced onto his feet, he muttered one phrase that made him want to crawl in a hole and wallow in despair.

"Fuck my life."

* * *

"Hey, Manny, it's me Jupiter... So, uh... Remember when I went out on errands? Yeah, well I sort of ran into Ray and his slaves, and they sort of kind of jumped me, and I sort of kind of kicked their asses, but I wasn't able to finish off Ray since we got stopped by the police and got arrested and now I need to be bailed out." Silence. Absolute silence.

"I'll pay you back straight after... And, uh... And I'm super, duper, sorry..." More silence. "Manny, you still there-"

" _Are you fucking serious?!_ "

Jupiter winced, pulling the phone slightly away from his ear. " _You got arrested?! You piece of shit, I am going to kick your ass when I bring you back home! I can't believe you! We're continuing this discussion later!_ " She hung up.

Jupiter suddenly feared for his life as he put the phone receiver back and was lead back to his cell by a guard, who almost looked sympathetic for him.

Luckily, he had a cell without Ray and his little slaves, but that did not mean he enjoyed who was with him. There was a weird crack head who keeps picking his ear and eating what came out, an intimidating beefy guy with a bushy beard, a guy that was obviously drunk, and another one who was wearing clothes stained in blood... He doesn't want to know how that happened.

The red head simply minded his own business, making sure that he sat still in order to not further irritate his tattoo. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.

And it wasn't long before he was shaken awake by the buff guy. Not the most pleasant thing to wake up to.

As he exited, the guard handed him his jacket, phone, and other belongings he had on him - his cigarettes weren't with the pile so he can only assume that they fell out of his pocket during the fight... Damn. When he arrived at the main entrance of the police station, he winced when he found Manny waiting there with crossed arms like a mother would when their son or daughter were in big trouble.

Her eyes snapped over to him, her glare darkening before she turned around and left the building. Sighing, he didn't bother to put his jacket back on and followed her outside and into her car.

The drive back home was silent and tense, neither of them played any music to even fill the silence. The tension felt suffocating and as they got closer to home, he felt his impending doom drawing near. It's been years since Manny has been this mad and it was something that no one wants to experience for themselves.

It was like waiting for a bomb to explode when the both of them entered his house, even the Fellowship looked frightened by the woman when they passed by the group. Manny dragged him upstairs without any warning whatsoever and into his room.

Again, it did not take long before she snapped at him, "What the  _fuck_ , Jupiter?!" He visibly winced at the curse directed to him. He knew it was bad when Manny of all people cursed, "How can you get arrested, huh? What if you actually went to prison? That shit would have been on your criminal record! And what the fuck were you doing on your errands?! Smoking and getting into fights with some jerks? I cannot believe-"

Manny cut herself off when she nearly tripped on something as she was pacing back and forth in front of him. She looked down to see what exactly she had tripped on that was peeking from underneath the bed, bending down to pick it up. Jupiter's face paled as she stood up straight again, staring down at the item in her hands.

The book.

"Jupiter... What..." She furrowed her brows, her previous fury being replaced with confusion, "What is this?"

"It doesn't matter." He gritted.

"Ju-"

"I got another tattoo." He said roughly, "On my back. It's that picture you drew a while ago with that bird. The girl that tattooed me liked it and wants to talk to you about art and stuff."

"Wait, you got another- Don't change the subject!" Manny frowned and held up the black book, "You were reading this today in here. Jupiter, if there's something you need to talk to me about, you know I'm here for you." She told him, her voice softening tremendously as she began to realize why he had decided to run off so late the night before school.

"There's nothing to talk about! Just because I read it, doesn't mean I have anything to say! Just drop it, Manny."

"I'm not just going to drop it, Jupiter. Not this time, okay? First you tear apart your room and run away after breaking up with Isabelle, and then next thing I know, you get into a crazy fight in the middle of the park with her stepbrother and then get arrested! It's been years since you got that violent and it's been months since you got into a fight like that. I'm  _worried_  about you!"

" _I'm gay!_ "

The brunette jumped when he suddenly shouted the exclamation, her eyes widening, surprised, as the book slipped out of her grip, falling onto the ground with a soft thud. "I... I think I'm gay, Manny..." He said much more quietly this time as he breathed heavily, watching the sudden understanding appear on her face through her dumbfounded state, "And I have no idea what to do."

* * *

  _ **If you're wondering what the tattoo looks like...**_

_**** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any grammar/spelling errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.  :)


	10. X

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yesterday, I went on a field trip to an amusement park and pretty much passed out when I got home. I woke up today at around one thirty and at two I was put with the task of babysitting my nephew and niece (as I write this, my niece is playing her heart out on a recorder and my nephew is watching truck videos on my phone), so I would have made this longer if I wasn't so tired.
> 
> WARNING: I may have a chem class, but I'm not a chemist. Thank you, Google.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

With everyone asleep, the house was much quieter, ignoring the fact that he can make out faint snores. Jupiter wasn't sure what time it was, maybe two or three in the morning, he didn't care. It hasn't been long since he had woken up from another nightmare that luckily didn't wake Manny up this time.

He knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep after that, so he grabbed his laptop and sat himself down on the couch. He kept a cool pillow to lean on in order to not further irritate his tattoo, keeping himself shirtless so that the rough material of his shirt won't irritate it. The first week was always the worse to deal with.

Ignoring the pain on his shoulder blade and the back of his neck, he furiously typed on his keyboard, every now and then writing in his notebook. If he was going to stay up late, he might as well try to forget the cause of waking him up and start researching about electricity while sipping on some beer. He needed every source he can get about it, his own brain, his notebooks, his textbooks, even the internet - being careful with the information he found of course.

It's been a few days since he got arrested and one day throughout it, Isabelle tried to jump Manny after school in order to get back at him somehow. Let's just say that she was unsuccessful considering how it earned her a slap that most likely stung the rest of the day.

After that, they all settled on glares. Jupiter's so called friends ditched him for Ray - he wasn't surprised, never considered them friends anyway - but it didn't lower his popularity one bit. In fact, now that he was single, all of the girls who were into him have been walking up to him randomly to flirt and try to give their number to him. They were all unsuccessful in their goals.

The Fellowship seemed to be impressed when he had told them why he was arrested, other than Legolas who was the only one worried and nursing his bruised cheek despite his protests. When everyone had finished eating some ice cream that Manny had suggested on all of them trying - he will make sure that Pippin and Merry never lays a hand on soda after that - Manny had dragged the both of them back into his room to begin his punishment for causing trouble, even though it technically wasn't his fault, and to talk to him about his latest discovery.

She first made the both of them use face masks, he will never admit that it was relaxing, and made him give her a foot massage. Luckily, after babbling about how she still loves him no matter what and how she would be his wing woman whenever need be, she had fallen asleep half an hour into it all. He hates to say it, but he was happy that she told him that, easing any other worries of what she would think of him when he suddenly blurted it out away.

The scientist let out a deep sigh as he picks up his notebook and uses the light of his laptop to read what was on it. What he gathered from his own knowledge was that electricity travels and is the flow of electrons.

The television is both an entrance and exit, but who knew? It could be a laptop or a game boy even. They all use electricity, but the question is how is it an entrance and exit? It frustrated him, the scientific babble he scribbled out didn't make much of a difference of answering his questions. He needs to start relying on other information he had gathered to piece everything together.

"Jupiter?" He snapped his head up and found a certain blonde walking towards him with silent feet, "What are you doing here?"

He sighed, gesturing to the screen and notebook that was in his lap and hand, "Writing down notes and such, it's boring."

Legolas sat beside him, looking down at the foreign object with a puzzled look, "With this... thing?"

Jupiter nods and quickly explained the basics of the laptop, smirking at how amazed he was by the fact that there was almost endless information you can find just by asking it. "Anyway, just searching on here won't help me. I need to dig deeper..."

"I do not think I can be much help. I only remember darkness and a bright light before we were all standing in Manny's home, like I had said before." The archer stated, "May I see what you have so far?"

"Go for it." He handed him the notebook before continuing to type, his eyes concentrated on the website he was presented after clicking a link.

Legolas read through the teen's notes with perplexity. There was writing that he did not understand, but recognized as some sort of writing that Jupiter always wrote on his board along with diagrams. He also found short sentences with words he have never seen or heard before, but there was a small paragraph that he was able to read perfectly well.

_Manny - watched Lord of the Rings 3/11; Friday; 5:37(?) PM. Violent storms; duration of 1 hour. Gandalf's death - Fellowship escape - power outage. Television on - strong white light - power turns back on after light is gone. Fellowship arrives at 7:58(?) PM._

After reading it one more time, he knew it was what happened in Manny's perspective of when they had arrived. It was short, yet specific of what had happened. He made to ask what the strange words scattered on the paper meant, but noticed how stiff the teen was sitting.

Jupiter seemed oblivious by his silent observation and his sharp eyes travel down to his neck to see part of his markings that lead down to his shoulder blade - which he remembered was called a tattoo like the one on his foot - are slightly red. His lips pressed into a thin line seeing how tense his shoulder was due to what he can only assume was pain and discomfort.

Legolas placed a hand on his bare shoulder, being careful as to not touch the actual tattoo, "Perhaps you should stop for tonight. You must be tired."

"...Okay." He said after contemplating for a few moments. Jupiter closed his laptop, leaving the moonlight from the windows to be the only thing lighting up the living room. He chugged the rest of his beer and sighed, "Fighting after a few hours of being tattooed does not mix."

"You are still in pain." The elf stated rather than question, "Perhaps there is something to ease it?"

"Yeah, but not much. The tattoo on my back needs some salve, so when Manny wakes up I'll ask her to do it again."

"I can do it, I don't mind."

Jupiter blinked owlishly up at him at the sudden suggestion, "You sure?" He only received a nod. The red head dug into his pocket and took out the small jar of salve, smirking at his raised eyebrow, "Sometimes it rubs off the parts that I can reach and I have to put some more on."

Legolas plucked the jar out of his hand and motioned for him to turn. He did so and the archer was met with a beautiful intricate picture with a bird. He took a moment to simply admire the work permanently imprinted into his skin before he applied some of the clear cream onto it with practiced hands.

The scientist tensed at the contact, almost wishing that he had said no. The moment his fingers made contact with his skin a small spark of warmth tingled. Blood rushed to his cheeks as they moved, the warmth spreading and expanding as his fingers delicately spread the ointment over without causing any pain.

Legolas discreetly continued to rub in the ointment even when he had already finished doing so. He couldn't help himself, discovering the need to touch him in some way to experience more of the tingles that went from the tips of his fingers, straight up his arm, and through his entire body. He took notice that his own heart beat was pumping faster than usual as he moved onto the back of his neck where the last bit of the tattoo laid, wondering what could have caused it.

Jupiter held back a shiver when they traveled up to his neck, his breath hitching. Instantly, the contact was broken, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Tickles." He lied. It didn't hurt or tickled, it felt like he was being zapped with heat over and over again. It annoyed him beyond belief, hating the very fact that when Legolas touched him  _he didn't want him to stop_.

Soon enough, the archer forced himself to finish, reluctantly moving his hand away and returning the jar. Jupiter checked the time for the first time since he woke up and shook his head, "Four in the morning. Too late to go back to sleep now." His eyes clouded in thought for a moment before he looks up at Legolas, "Wanna see something cool?"

He rolled his eyes when he was met with a confused stare, "Y'know, awesome. Amazing. Stupendous. Astounding. Fantastic. I'm not going to list synonyms all night long."

A small chuckle slipped past the elf's lips, "I suppose so. I do not think I will get use to this world's strange sayings."

"Then, I'll make you get use to them." Jupiter pulled his shirt back on before grabbing his things, "C'mon, guinea pig, we're going to my lab."

"As I have said many times before, Jupiter, I am not a 'guinea pig'."

"Don't care. Hurry up."

Legolas sighed at his careless command, but his faint smile contradicted how annoyed the sigh sounded. He didn't care much about being bossed around considering it's just how Jupiter is, also because it meant that he was returning to his normal self.

As soon as they were in his lab, Jupiter went into the spare closet close to the entrance and rifled through it's contents before pulling out an extra lab coat and a hair tie. He handed both objects to Legolas, "Put this on and tie your hair up. When working in the lab, always wear an apron or lab coat-"

"Roll up or remove any loose clothing and jewelry, tie back long hair, and no eating or drinking."

Jupiter turned his head from where he was slipping on his own lab coat and he smirked pleasantly, "So you did learn something."

"Of course I have, you constantly reminded me of those things. Though, you do not follow the eating and drinking rule..." Legolas said thoughtfully.

"Only when I'm not working on anything that has to do with doing it directly in the lab. I always wipe down everything once I'm done for the day." He completely turns around, "And by the way, you forgot another rule. Always wear safety glasses or goggles when working with chemicals."

The elf's eyebrows furrow in confusion, following him to the lab tables, "That's because you have never told me that."

"Well, now you know." He opened the cabinet and retrieved two safety glasses, giving one of them to Legolas. "Now, a couple of the things we'll be using are chemicals you haven't seen before."

"What is it exactly that we will be doing?"

"Simple, we're going to make elephant toothpaste. One of the most classic and greatest chemistry experiments ever to be discovered. I have a feeling that you'll like it, I'll be right back."

Legolas watched him quickly disappear out the back of the room through a door, blinking owlishly, "Elephant toothpaste?"

* * *

"This is what you're going to do, Legolas, to complete the reaction. Pour the sodium iodide solution quickly into the flask with the hydrogen peroxide mix and quickly stand back. Got it?"

Mirkwood's prince nodded at his words as he was handed the graduated cylinder. All throughout the small amount of time where he and Jupiter prepared everything, Jupiter had allowed him to partake in the procedure. It came as a surprise to him considering he was well aware of his hate of anyone other than him working in the lab area. Legolas was still unsure of what all of these things will do, especially since there were two chemicals that he wouldn't allow him to handle.

He took in a deep breath before carefully pouring the liquid into the substance in the flask that was set on a tray before standing back the second he noticed how upon contact it began to foam. His eyes widen and jaw dropped at the sight of the foam shooting up from it's confinements, high up into the air, and falling back down as more and more poured out of the glass as it steamed. "Oh my..." His words trailed off.

Whatever had just happened was certainly a surprise for him. He looked between Jupiter - who was grinning a little - and their successful experiment. "That was incredible!" He finally bursts after a few more moments of silence and laughed breathlessly as he took a closer look, "I have never seen anything like that before! It had happened so fast that I wasn't sure whether or not it was merely my imagination!"

"And you know what's even better?" Jupiter stepped up next to him and grabbed his hand, hovering it over the foam, "It causes an exothermic reaction, which basically means the reaction releases heat, so if you touch it you can burn yourself if you don't let it cool."

Legolas dragged his eyes away from the hand holding his to focus on the warmth rising up towards it from the foam. "You're right, but how? You cannot tell me that only with a few ingredients it can make something hot without fire or magic."

"Sorry, bud, but I am." He let go of him, "I would explain how, but that would be a little too much on your brain." His eyes drifted away from their gaze before they rolled, "And a little too much food coloring."

The elf watched as Jupiter stepped closer to him in order to lick his own thumb before rubbing it against the other's cheek without much thought put into the action, wiping away the faint line of green, "I should keep you away from food coloring or else you'll start looking like the Green Giant."

Legolas stared at him silently, standing stiff as he allowed him to get rid of the dye staining his cheek. Noticing his frozen form, Jupiter curiously looked at him and their eyes met. It was a powerful reminder of how captivating Legolas's eyes are and unlike before, the connection was not brief. They both quietly took this short moment to look at each other like this, both of their goals of doing this being unknown.

Jupiter's golden eyes were a complete mystery to Legolas, including his hair. He can tell that they weren't fake due to his sharp sight, so how can it be? Not even Elves have such unique colors for their hair and eyes. But these physical aspects weren't the only things he can see from Jupiter. No, even though Jupiter seems to be back to normal and has mostly recovered from his and Isabelle's separation, he can tell that there is something much deeper that is troubling him.

Jupiter suddenly averted his eyes and stepped away from him, clearing his throat, "So... Can you tell me what Mirkwood is like?"

Legolas immediately brightened, what had happened only seconds ago forgotten for now, "Ah, yes, my home. Where do I start..."

* * *

Everyone sat around the table, enjoying their simple breakfast that Jupiter had made with the help of Sam. Of course, he first had to warn him of the main dangers in the kitchen and luckily no blood was shed during the process of cooking everything.

The scientist yawned, rubbing his eye when he was done with his plate and went back into the kitchen to put the dish away. Manny came in a few seconds later as well with her plate that had a few stray pieces of scrambled eggs on it. He blinked in surprise, knowing that it had only been a few minutes since she started eating, "Done already?"

She looked at him and nods, "Yeah, not that hungry."

"Excuse me?" Jupiter crossed his arms, "You're telling me, your best friend, that you, Amanda Vallette, isn't hungry? You're  _always_ hungry."

"Well, believe it or not, sometimes I'm not." The brunette rolled her eyes, "Hurry and get dressed slow poke." She said before leaving.

He watched after her and shrugged it off. Maybe even people like Manny lose their appetite sometimes.

Later on that day, Jupiter found himself at a place that no one in the whole entire school would ever think he would be. In the library. He had several books surrounding him on the table he sat in and looked as if he were about to blow his top.

He can't find anything. He can't find anything that's any different from what he found on his laptop and his own books. It was frustrating, but the only thing that calmed him down was that the answer isn't going to be in some book or some Google search. It will take extensive contemplation and analyzing to figure out. He still has the data he had gathered in the basement. Damn, he feels like the answer is staring straight at his face! He hates when somewhere in him knows the answer, but something is keeping him from fully realizing it!

The bell rang, signalling that his free half-period was over and it was time for lunch. On his way there, he ignored how people, especially the girls, looked at him. He honestly didn't find himself that attractive, but maybe that's just how many people think of themselves, attractive or not. He despised people that stare at him the way they do.

Once he arrived in the cafeteria, he found Manny slumped at their usual table in her seat, gloomily taking a bite out of her sandwich. For a minute he just watched her from where he sat, raising an eyebrow at how she was staring longingly into space. "Okay, I'll bite. What's wrong?" He finally asked.

She groaned dramatically and dropped her head onto the table, "You know that super nice lunch lady that gives me free cookies? She got sick! Which means no cookies!" She took another bite from her sandwich.

Jupiter, not feeling bad at all, leaned his head against his hand, "That's why you're all mopey?"

"Yeah, and I got this bruise on my stomach when someone in ballet accidentally pushed me and slammed me into the barre, and it's still sore." The brunette pouted, "Why is life so cruel to me?"

"Why don't you complain to your hobbit boyfriend?" He smirked widely at the sight of her face glowing a bright red.

"Well... Well, uh, what about that elf prince, huh? I know you two were alone together in the lab this morning!"

Jupiter's smirk dropped upon hearing her accusation. He stared at her for an uncomfortably long time before taking what was left of the sandwich out of her hands and shoving it in her mouth, ignoring how her hands flailed in indignation along with muffled cries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how short this chapter is, but I promise that the next one will be MUCH longer.  
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	11. XI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Still not a doctor.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

The next morning he found himself watching Manny with narrowed eyes. Her eyes were droopy and her face held a grimace, not touching the food in front of her. It wasn't until she pushed the plate towards one of the hobbits did she stand and say, "You can have it. I'm not hungry."

Everyone gaped at her, because everyone in the household knew very well that Manny is a eating machine. She was an endless pit who eats everything and anything, whenever and wherever she wanted to. To put it in very simple terms, she had the stomach and appetite of a hobbit, hence why everyone was shocked by her statement.

As soon as she turned around to leave, she was met with a sickly sweet smile that was stretched across Jupiter's face, "You're not going to eat, sweet cheeks?"

Manny paled and averted her eyes, realizing that maybe it wasn't a good idea to openly say that she of all people didn't feel like eating, "Er- Yeah. I'm not that hungry."

"Loss of appetite, drowsiness, sickly skin, and-" He placed a single finger against her forehead, "A forehead hotter than a bunsen burner."

"Maybe I'm a little sick, whatever, fine, now let's go to school before we're late-" She squeaked when his finger dug further into her forehead painfully.

A vein bulged from his own, smile still placed on his face, as his eye noticeably twitched in annoyance, "School? You are not going to school with a fever, young lady. I can't have you overworking yourself and passing out in the middle of the hallway to get trampled on, now do I?"

She gulped and could only do one thing. And that is to make a pitiful noise, "Meep!..."

Manny was effortlessly swept off her feet and was carried bridle style up the stairs.

* * *

"She has a fever of one hundred degrees. Two degrees higher than it should be. She could have just caught something, and just needs rest and medicine, but it's best to keep any eye on her. If it gets worse, then I might do a blood test to figure out what's going on."

"Will she be okay?" Frodo asked.

Jupiter gave him a reassuring look, "Yes, just stay out of my room like usual, can't have all of you getting sick too." He then went back upstairs to check up on the groaning woman tucked into his bed with a damp wash cloth on her forehead.

"I'm so hoooot..." She whined as soon as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

The red head rolled his eyes, taking off the cloth and dipping it into the basin, squeezing the excess water out. "Yes, yes you are, both figuratively and literally." He placed it back on her forehead.

She sighed in satisfaction, "Thanks for the ego boost. So what is it, doc? Am I gonna die?"

"No." He chuckled, sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing away some of her hair. "Just a fever so try to get some sleep, I'll call school so teachers can email you work."

"Thanks, doc..." She yawned, closing her eyes.

Jupiter sighed in relief, glad that she was finally starting to sleep it off and was no longer complaining about missing school. Sometimes he couldn't understand why she wanted to go there so much when you basically learn close to nothing there. Yes, he understands that if you want a stable job you will need to get an education, but still. They can at least teach students how to write a check instead of how many women Benjamin Franklin banged.

He left the room quietly, heading downstairs to prepare a light soup for her to eat. Jupiter paused when he entered to see that Aragorn was also inside the kitchen, glass of water in hand, "Oh, hey Aragorn." Jupiter greeted him as he went to the pantry to grab a can of soup that Manny said she enjoyed.

"Hello, Jupiter." The ranger watched him as he grabbed a pan, "You are cooking?"

"Just some soup for Manny." He shrugged as he opened the can before dumping the contents into the pot that was already heating up, "So what are you up to today?"

"What I have been normally doing since we... arrived. I plan on training again for the day." Aragorn leaned against the counter, his gaze following his hand stirring the soup. "Jupiter, that girl..."

Jupiter's hand momentarily froze, but he quickly regained it's movement as he cleared his throat. His grip on the spoon noticeably tightens as he forces out, "What about her?"

"I know that you do not want to speak of her, especially so soon, but please listen to me." He places his empty glass in the sink, "She does not deserve you. I can tell that you cared for her dearly and cherished her with all your heart, and if she did not see that, it was never meant to be. You are young and still have many things ahead of you. Do not let this betrayal get in the way of that because I know that someday you will find the one you are meant to be with."

There was a long silence afterwards. It was neither awkward nor tense, it was just... silence. Jupiter had long since stopped stirring the soup and merely stared down at it as he fully took in his words. Everyone else tried to make him feel a little better about the situation as well and he appreciated it, but it never helped. The only thing that helped was Legolas not mentioning it and Manny just being there for him after his meltdown.

But what Aragorn said was something that he needed to hear. "Thank you, Aragorn." He said in a voice that hopefully showed how truly grateful he was despite the lack of it expressed on his face, "You're right and I'm moving on. I'm more pissed than sad when I think about it."

Aragorn looked relieved by his words and nods, patting his shoulder, "I am happy to hear that. If you ever feel the need to talk, do not be afraid to, it's the least that I can do. I, and the others, consider both you and Manny as dear friends."

Jupiter watched as he left the room without waiting for a response, presumably to train like he had said. A dry smirk rose to his lips as he turned off the stove upon seeing that the soup was heated up. Friends, huh? It's too bad that he couldn't completely agree to that statement, not only because of his trust issues, but also their current situation.

The scientist carried a bowl of the soup and a glass of water up the stairs. Upon entering his room, he was met with the brunette curled up in his blankets, her cheeks red from the heat pumping through her. He sat on the side of the bed, placing the tray down on the nightstand in order to gently shake Manny awake. His worry for her doubled when she had to be helped to sit up, and was too weak to even feed herself. She managed to slowly eat half of the bowl before her stomach couldn't handle it, sipping on water afterwards.

After giving her some medicine that would hopefully lower her fever, he changed the cloth on her forehead for a cool one and urged her to go to sleep with a hand stroking her hair. Hopefully she won't remember how he frowned when she whimpered from the heat or how he softly whispered reassurances to her to calm her down.

* * *

" _Juuupiteerr_..."

The occupants in the living room look up at the weak call. Jupiter frowned and jumped to his feet, shutting his laptop closed then placing it on the coffee table before he rushed upstairs to his room. It hasn't been that long since she had fallen asleep, so what could have possibly woken her up? When she sleeps, she doesn't wake up for hours.

"What's wrong, sweet cheeks? Are you cold? Hot?" He questioned as soon as he entered the room, kneeling at the bedside.

Manny curled onto her side, her face twisted into a grimace, "My tummy hurts."

"Are you on your period?" He asked bluntly considering how many times she had complained to him about her womanly cycle every month with great detail. Yeah, it wasn't pleasant at first to hear, but he got use to it rather quickly.

She shook her head, "No, it just ended... My stomach was hurting for a couple of days, but I thought they were just cramps. Thinking back on it now, they were too painful to be cra- Oww..."

Jupiter thought for a minute, contemplating whether or not this was a normal fever. "Manny, have you had any bathroom troubles?"

"...A little."

"Like what?"

"..."

He sighed, "Manny, don't be embarrassed. All I'm worried about is your health, okay?"

"...Number two turned into number four."

"Number four?..." Confusion was clear in his voice, but then he sighed and deadpanned, "Diarrhea?"

"Ew, don't say it out loud! It's worse hearing you say it!"

Jupiter sighed again through her whining, "I think I have some medicine to help. It's in the downstairs bathroom, so I'll be right back."

He rushes downstairs, ready to retrieve the medicine, but stopped when he noticed everyone was looking at him. The teen took a deep breath, crossing his arms, "It's worse than I thought. It isn't just a fever, but I'm not sure yet. I'll test her blood before I make a doctor's appointment."

"This is troubling..." Aragorn said worriedly, "Do you know when she will be better?"

"No idea. From here on out, I'll be keeping a constant eye on her." He said before disappearing in the hallway then darting back out and up the stairs.

* * *

Jupiter has never been this worried before, well other than the first time Manny had gotten sick. He knew that she would get better, but it seems like her illness is just getting worse. Her fever had risen a couple of degrees, which he wasn't surprised about, but the stomach pains continue to get worse.

He had called around to see if any of the doctor offices were open to schedule an appointment that day, but they were either closed or couldn't take appointments for the day. It had brought him into a fit of rage, nearly throwing his phone across the room. The reason being that he had decided to proceed with the blood test on Manny, which she wasn't too pleased about.

Since testing for something like this was a bit limited for him, he discovered that she had some type of infection, but he couldn't identify it. With her symptoms, it's possible that she could have gotten food poisoning or some contagious infection from someone else.

Unfortunately, she was nauseous now, having already puked her lunch and dry heaved into her bucket. Luckily, he also had medicine to keep it at bay. Manny didn't complain much anymore, she just laid in his bed, groaning. The Fellowship also offered to help if they could, but even though Jupiter appreciated it, he can't allow them to catch a foreign illness.

It was night time now, having been keeping watch on Manny while she had been awake so he could keep her condition in check. After who knows how long, she finally fell asleep after the medicine kicked in. He washed his hands and made his way downstairs. He was sure his appearance looked ruffled and exhausted, because he felt exactly like that.

Dully noting that the living room was empty, he went into the kitchen for the third time that day and threw the refrigerator door open. The light illuminated the dark room as his stomach growled insistently, begging for food. His eyes lit up when he peered inside, "Bingo." He snatched two containers and kicked the door closed. Did he ever mention that he loves strawberries with cool whip? Well, now you know.

After putting some strawberries in a bowl, he put some of the sweet cream on top before wandering off while already eating the fruit. Walking out the back door, he paused at the sight of a certain someone at their usual spot on the bench swing. Not knowing what else to say, only one thing came out of him, muffled by the strawberry in his mouth, "Oh."

Legolas perked up and looked over at the scientist. He couldn't stop the smile working it's way up when he saw how Jupiter's cheeks were puffed out, eating whatever it was that was in the bowl in his hand. "Someone is hungry."

"Shut up." He mumbled after swallowing most of what was in his mouth. He came over and plopped himself down beside the elf, continuing to munch on his half-assed - yet delicious - dinner.

"You should be asleep, Jupiter. It's not healthy to stay awake for this long." Legolas said, remembering their time spent together the other night.

Jupiter shrugged, "I got hungry, and I'm not really tired either."

"You and I both know that is a lie." He shook his head at him, "Just because Manny is ill, doesn't mean you can't sleep. If you need me to, I can watch over her while you get rest."

"But-"

"Elves do not get sick, Jupiter."

"Fine!" He threw his hand up, "Fine, do whatever you want, I don't give a shit."

"Liar-" Legolas made a startled noise, his eyes blowing wide when a strawberry was stuffed into his mouth. He blinked owlishly at the red head glaring at him through his glasses.

"Eat it, smart ass. Maybe that'll keep your mouth shut." Despite how annoyed he looked, his voice was light and teasing.

Even though he had much to say about that comment, the fruit that was rudely shoved into his mouth kept him from doing so. He had no choice, but to follow his command and take a hold of it so he can properly take a bite. His shoulders sagged as sweetness washed over his taste buds instantly.

Jupiter watched him as he too ate, finishing the last of his strawberries as his eyebrows furrow in thought. Not even when the elf felt his eyes drilling holes into him and turned to look back at him did he turn away, "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I was just... wondering about something."

"And I suppose it has something to do with me." Legolas stated before eating the last bit of the fruit.

"Sorta." He shrugged, "I was just a bit curious about how elf marriage works."

Jupiter rose an eyebrow when he began coughing hearing the statement. He was tempted to pat his back to help him out, but Legolas quickly stopped, "You okay?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine. You just caught me by surprise is all."

"Why?" Jupiter inquired, though his confusion quickly faded as a light bulb went off in his head. A wicked grin formed on his face, "Oh, I see. So it's true..."

Legolas did not trust the frightening grin, "What?"

"Marriage between elves is doing the deed." He received a confused stare, "The hanky panky. Banging. Putting the P in the V. Sex, Legolas, I'm talking about sex."

The archer flushed, "Yes... and no. It's complicated and can be a long process, it would take too long to explain."

"I have all night. I'm not going to sleep any time soon." He said, turning from where he sat so he was facing him, setting his empty bowl aside. "Hey, if you're uncomfortable and don't want to tell me, that's fine. It's kinda weird for me, too."

"No, it's alright." Legolas shook his head, "I'm actually glad you're interested in knowing more. I thought I had bored you with my long monologue about my home."

"Bore me?" He repeated incredulously, "Dude, no! It felt like I was actually there in Mirkwood when you were talking about it, like if I closed my eyes, I probably would have seen the trees you talked about and how vibrant the nature around me is."

The elf stared at him in wonder, "Truly?"

"Truly." He nods firmly, "Just because I'm an asshole, doesn't mean I didn't like it. Hell, I'm the one who asked you to tell me about it."

"Then, you would be happy if I told you about how elf marriage works?"

Jupiter thought for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, there has always been different opinions about it in this world. It has always interested me and I had my own theories about it, but I want to know the truth myself."

"So there is finally something that you don't know about when it comes to us." Legolas said as he relaxed, relief entering his eyes.

He shook his head, "I don't know every little detail about all of you as people. Yes, I may know a little too much, but I don't know  _you_."

The elf simply nodded, understanding. He opened his mouth to say something else, but his gaze drifted downwards slightly and couldn't help but smile as he held back his snickers. Jupiter looked at him strangely, "What? Why are you smiling like that?"

"It's nothing, it's just that you have a bit of cream on your cheek." Legolas grinned, finally letting loose his chuckles when the red head quickly began to wipe at the wrong cheek. "Not there, here let me help-" He brought up his hand and gently wiped away the sugary cream with his thumb.

Jupiter stared at him blankly, frozen at his spot as he allowed him to get rid of it. For a split second when he did so, he was startled by how warm Legolas was, but then he began to wonder how the hell he can do something like that without looking fazed. Either he's just overreacting to his touch or Legolas is a bit oblivious... He'll take the former.

"Jupiter?"

He blinked out of his daze and realized that the other was watching him in concern. He turned away, clearing his throat awkwardly as a familiar warmth rose to his cheeks. Jupiter then sighed and shook his head, "You're so fuckin' weird." He dug in his pocket for his box of cigarettes, "Anyway, we were talking about elf marriage?"

"Yes, of course." Legolas nods, confused by his earlier comment, "Where do I start?"

"I dunno, wherever it starts." Jupiter made himself comfortable on the bench, "Lecture away, guinea pig."

Mirkwood's prince sighed at his careless reply. What encouraged him to begin and proceed with his explanation was the sight of Jupiter shifting from where he sat in order to give him his full, undivided attention. In a span of an hour, Jupiter's attention did not waver from Legolas, soaking each and every word that came out of his mouth.

So far, he has learned that marriage between two elves was sacred and very important, which was why arranged marriages were very uncommon for royalty. The act of bedding together to wed is called bonding. Bonding is self explanatory and is the most important step, either before or after a ceremony. The ceremony simply gives the two lovers blessings from the big guys in the sky.

That's the simple way of explaining it, but there was even more. Unfortunately, that was when his body finally began to respond to how little sleep he has gotten and his eyelids grew heavy.

"...My mother has told me many stories about how there were very few people who found the one they are meant to be with." Legolas explained as he stared up at the twinkling stars, "Many people, though, do not believe in such things. It's only a myth to them, something that you would say to a child."

"Mm..."

Legolas turned his gaze to Jupiter after hearing his barely audible hum and saw him slumping on the bench, his eyes fully closing as his breathing deepened and slowed. Silently, he rose from where he sat without moving the bench too much before going inside. A minute later, he returned with a blanket and pillow in hand, all the while smiling fondly at Jupiter's sleeping form.

* * *

"Yo, Legolas." Jupiter called the next day as he skipped the last few steps of the stairs, jumping off. "That offer to watch Manny still up?"

"Of course it is." Legolas stood from where he sat on the couch with the hobbits, quickly coming around to approach him, "Are you finally getting some proper rest?"

"No, I have work. I would skip it, but I'm on thin ice with my boss." He said as he put his trusty hat on, "I'll try to get out early. Just make sure to change the cloth, keep her hydrated if she wakes up, and be prepared to give her the puke bucket."

Jupiter thought that the last bit would deter him, but instead, he only nodded in determination, "Good." The red head turns to the others, "See ya, guinea pigs."

Everyone watched as he grabbed his keys and exited the house, the only sign that he left being the growling of his motorcycle. Frodo sighed forlornly, "If only I was unable to get ill like you, Legolas."

He only gave the hobbit a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Frodo, she'll get better soon. Now, if you will excuse me..."

* * *

"Table nine and four entrées! Table fourteen desserts!"

"Hey, one of you idiots overcooked the steak, I need a medium rare!"

"Two more orders of mahi-mahi for table twelve!"

"Hurry it up, we got a full house you guys! Jack, I need you to take table twelve's order for me!"

"Got it!"

Jupiter placed table nine's orders on a large tray, balancing it on his hand with ease as he left the busy kitchen and towards the table. As he did so, he glanced around the chatty restaurant. It was a large building and there was enough space for people to walk through, even with all of the tables and booths taken.

As he passed the entrance, he found many people waiting with a buzzer in their hands, waiting to be seated and have their dinner. It was an extremely busy night once again, where many people come to one of the best restaurants in the area, Yuna Isle. Not only did the restaurant look luxurious, the prices for all of the meals were reasonable unlike the ones at that one restaurant he had taken a certain someone to...

He arrived at the table with a small family and greeted them with a forced, small, polite smile, setting down their plates, telling them to enjoy, and heading back into the kitchen to see if his four other tables' dinner or appetizers were done yet.

Jupiter was no longer in his usual clothing that mostly consisted of a jacket and hat. His waiter's uniform was a simple grey dress shirt with sleeves that reached just below his elbows, a black tie, black dress pants, and a black waiter's apron. The only thing that stayed the same was his messy hair piled on top of his head. Being a waiter was the last thing that he wanted to be, but this job kept him very stable financially since the restaurant was so popular. Both he and Manny knew that.

After that, he was at his usual pattern. Keeping a fake smile on his face as he spoke with customers, placing orders, getting orders, and so on, then getting the checks, and repeating in a disarray order.

"Jupiter, I'm tight on tables, can you take sixteen?" A fellow waiter asked with a pleading look, clearly overwhelmed with the orders clutched in his hands.

The teen nodded even when he probably had the same amount of tables that he had. Taking another tray of steaming hot plates to a table of two, he moved onto the one that he took off of his coworker's hands. Sitting there, alone, was a man probably a few years older than Jupiter, built much like Aragorn and had slicked back black hair along with stubble on his chin.

He approaches him with his usual forced smile, "Welcome to Yuna Isle, my name's Jupiter and I'll be your server for the evening." God, he hated telling strangers his name... "Have you decided on what you wanted to drink?"

The man looked up at him and a strange shiver ran down his spine when their eyes met, a dark brown - nearly black - clashing with gold. "Beer... please."

"Beer it is, I'll be right back-"

"Ethan." The man suddenly cut him off, "My name's Ethan."

Jupiter wasn't exactly asking for his name, but whatever, "I'll be right back... Ethan." He repeats, adding his name as an afterthought before wandering off to retrieve his drink. That was weird.

While he was in the kitchen, he took a peak at his phone and scowled at the numbers staring back at him. Why can't time fly by faster so he can get off this damn shift early? He trusts Legolas to take care of Manny, it's Pippin and Merry he was worried about... And maybe a little for Frodo since he has tried more than once to sneak into his room to see Manny.

He returned to Ethan's table to bring him his beer and asked, "Have you decided on an appetizer or entrée?"

"Yes, actually." The man nods, his menu untouched on the middle of the table, "The Yuna Salmon with a side of mixed vegetables."

Jupiter rose an eyebrow as he wrote it down, "This isn't your first time here, is it?"

"Yeah, I actually come here a lot." Ethan chuckled sheepishly, "This place is amazing. I always come here for the salmon."

"Well, I'm glad you do." That's a lie. He can care less. "I'll be back with your food."

After that, he proceeded on with the night, bringing Ethan his food along the way and briefly speaking to him again about how busy it was tonight before moving on once again. Soon enough, he had paid for the check and was returning his credit card that was used for doing so. "Here you go, have a nice evening, sir."

"Wait, Jupiter." He said before the teen could leave, handing him a small piece of paper, "This is my number. Maybe we can talk some time? ...Maybe have a date?" He says bashfully, "And just call me Ethan."

Jupiter blinked in shock, gaping at him. Did this random dude really just ask him out? Someone he literally just met? This... was a first. He's asked out by girls all the time, but this is the first time that it was a guy. Though, he quickly got over the shock. He sighed and looked at the man apologetically, returning the piece of paper, "I'm sorry, but I can't. You seem like a nice guy, but I can tell it would never work out." And he did. He felt absolutely nothing for the man in front of him.

Once again, as he was leaving, he was stopped. Though, this time the man stood and grabbed his hand, "Wait, Jupiter. Please, just one date? You won't regret it."

Alright, now he kinda feels bad. Ethan is practically begging him! "Like I said, it won't work out. I'm sorry, I'm just not interested." He rips his hand out of his grip and walks away.

The man didn't stop him again and when Jupiter looked over his shoulder, a mixture of sadness and anger was written all over his face, hands clenched tightly at his sides. Jupiter quickly looked forward again, quickening his pace in order to find his manager and tell her that he's leaving.

* * *

Jupiter was surprised to find Manny sitting up on the bed with pillows propping her up, looking through her phone when he returned back home. "Feeling better?" He asked hopefully after Legolas welcomed him back and excused himself, leaving the bedroom.

Looking up, she gave a weak smile and shrugged. "A little. Stomach still hurts and I feel icky, but number four has stopped. That medicine really did the trick."

The teen's shoulders sagged in relief as he sat on his desk chair that he long since pulled to the bedside. He held up the bowl of soup that he heated up the second he got home, "Soup again. I made some mint tea to help sooth your stomach."

"You're the best." She pat his head as if he were a dog. Instead of rolling his eyes and slapping her hand away like he usually did, he only smirked back and began feeding her.

Jupiter thought back to the results of the tests he did on Manny. He has long since discovered that she has some type of infection, but he has yet to identify what it is exactly. Like he had said before, he was very limited in that area and so far he's got nothing. It was frustrating to say the least because if he knew exactly what it was now instead of waiting for a doctor to figure it out, then he'll know what to do to make her better again.

Half the soup and most of the tea gone now, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead. He ignored the fact that her sickly skin was coated in sweat and frowned, "Temperature is still the same. Better than rising again, I guess."

Manny giggled, lifting up her cup of tea to sip on it. Before her lips could even touch the rim of it, she abruptly jerks and pulled it away from her mouth, shoving the mug into his hands. "B-Bucket." She choked out, slapping a hand over her mouth as her cheeks puffed as her gag reflex kicked in.

Hurriedly setting the cup down on the tray, Jupiter grabbed the bucket that he cleaned out and handed it to her. As soon as she got a hold of it, for the second time that day, her stomach rejected her meal. He sighed as she watched her body convulse along with the sound of liquid pouring into the bucket. He had thought for sure that she was getting better and all that was left to deal with was her fever. Was it the tea that triggered it? Or maybe she had too much soup?

When she lifted her head back up again with a miserable groan, Jupiter's eyes widen in horror at the sight of what was coating her lips afterwards. With quick, yet shaky, hands he tilted the bucket to look inside. Not only was there a disgusting substance, but a red liquid danced through it. Again, Manny convulsed, pulling back the bucket to throw up again, her lips now completely covered in a shiny coat of blood.

His heart nearly stopped when she let out a scream of pain, gasping for air as one of her arms wrapped around her stomach and she curled into herself.

"Shit!" Jupiter shouted before standing up and ripping the covers off of her. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her before picking her up, cradling the girl in his arms. "Hold on tight."

That was the only warning she got before he darted out of his room, kicking the door open with a slam - not caring if he had broken it - and sprinting down the stairs. His frantic eyes landed on the startled individuals in the living room who skidded to a stop right in front of the stairs, "Frodo, Legolas, and Aragorn, come with me!"

"What's going on?" Boromir demanded.

"Manny's throwing up blood! I can't fit all of you in the car!"

Like a slap to the face, they were struck with pure dread upon hearing the news. For Frodo, it felt as if the whole world was sinking and everything other than Manny was blurring. All he saw and heard were her cries of pain, and the drops of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. With a new start, the ones that he called followed after him and into his car.

Jupiter didn't bother to put on his own seat belt after strapping Manny in before he peeled out of the driveway and down the street. He glanced at the girl who was groaning and blinking slowly, "Dammit, Manny, don't you dare fucking go to sleep. Stay awake, okay? Listen to me." He demanded firmly.

"Ju-... Jupiter... It... It hurts so much..."

"I know, sweetie, I know. Just listen to me. Frodo, Aragorn, and Legolas are here too." He tried to say it soothingly, but the shakiness in his voice didn't help, "Remember our second sleepover together? We watched  _Eight Legged Freaks_  and I couldn't sleep for five days because I was scared that giant, mutant spiders would eat me if I did."

"Yeah... Y-You... You were such a... such a puss." She gasped and coughed violently into her hand. Everyone in the back called out her name in alarm when she pulled it away, revealing blood on it. A short cry of pain escaped her, "Jupiter... Frodo!"

Frodo was quick to take a hold of her hand that wasn't covered in blood and reassured her, "I'm right here, Manny."

"Where are we going?" Aragorn asked anxiously.

"The hospital. A place where they handle more advanced medical stuff." He took a sharp turn, "We're here. Manny, stay awake a little while longer for me, alright?"

When he got no response, he quickly glanced over to find her eyes closed. He hit the steering wheel with a frustrated cry before pulling into a parking space. He hopped out and quickly went around to her side.

Before he picked her up, he shook her shoulder, "Manny! Amanda, hun." He lightly slapped her cheek and she weakly blinked her eyes open, "C'mon, Amanda, stay awake. Don't fall asleep."

The teen gathered her up in his arms and sprinted towards the large building, running through the automatic doors with the word 'EMERGENCY' shining red above them, the others close behind. A few heads from the waiting room turn upon their arrival. Jupiter curses when he saw that the only nurse there was the one behind the desk and he hurriedly handed Manny to Legolas, running up to the woman behind the desk, "My friend needs medical attention, right now. She needs a doctor." He told her quickly.

The middle-aged woman looked up at him in pure and utter boredom, sighing deeply before looking back at her computer screen and continuing to type on it. His jaw nearly dropped at the action, but he quickly growled out, "I said she needs a doctor!" Seriously, of all times of something like this happening again, it had to be now!

Jupiter didn't know what this woman's problem was because she didn't look up again. This area is called the  _emergency room_  for a reason! Instead, the phone rang on her desk and she picks it up, answering whoever was on the other line as if there wasn't someone possibly  _dying_  behind him.

In a fit of rage, his fist slammed on the counter in front of him that was blocking him from tackling the woman for being such a heartless bitch, the sound echoing around the large room. This obviously got her attention considering that she jumped violently and snapped her gaze up at him in shock. The hushed chatter in the waiting room also silenced as he shouted at her furiously, "Listen here you fucking bitch, I'm not going to stand here and deal with your bullshit while my best friend is throwing up  _blood_  and  _screaming_ as if someone stabbed her! Either get someone to help her, or so help me God, I'll jump over this counter and strangle you because your lazy ass didn't get her the medical attention she needed!" He leaned forward as she cowered in fear, hissing, "I'm not going to repeat myself."

Her hands shook terribly as she quickly ended the call she was currently on before quickly speaking on the intercom for nurses to come to the front to retrieve a patient. In a matter of seconds, nurses came in with a gurney and Jupiter quickly joined them as Legolas gently placed her on it. He followed them towards the double doors, holding the brunette's hand tightly as she let out another scream like no other, "Just pull through a little longer, Amanda. You can do it."

"I-... I'm scared!..." She sobbed and gasped out, "I-I... I can't bre-... breath!..."

"Quick, get her an oxygen mask!" The nurse pushing the gurney told another before turning to Jupiter, "Sir, I'm going to need you to go back to the waiting room."

Jupiter gave the man a murderous glare even though he knew that he was unable to go with her. He looked back down at Manny before quickly pressing a kiss to her forehead, letting go of her as they rush through the double doors. He buried his face in his hands as he heard her screech out, "No, don't leave! Jupiter! Jupiter! Frodo!  _Frodo!_ "

By now, his face was completely blank as he returned to the others who were anxiously waiting for him. They were almost as distraught as he and Frodo were, fear wrapping around them all in a vice grip.

"Is she?..." Legolas tried to question gently, his voice trailing off.

Jupiter shook his head, "I don't know..." He shook it more vigorously as he brought his hands up to his hair to grip it tightly, "Oh God... Fuck, I don't know!"

He hated it. He hated not knowing what he should have, for not knowing that Manny was probably dying right in front of him and this wasn't some random infection that was just going around. If he had tried harder, this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't still be hearing her screaming for him and the others, he wouldn't still be seeing the blood coating her lips every time he closed his eyes...

Now that she was gone, in the hands of complete strangers that have the knowledge to help her, it finally hit him that she can die. He didn't want to be all alone again, he didn't want his only real friend and family that's still alive to  _leave_. He didn't want to feel like that ever again.

He didn't want to end up helping plan his own best friend's funeral.

He didn't want to end up telling her family states away that she was dead.

He didn't want all of her hard work go down the drain. He wants her to live her life with absolutely no regrets and do what she wants and be  _happy_.

She's only  _eighteen_.

Jupiter was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts when a hand grasped his arm to pull him forward in order to be enveloped around a pair of strong arms. He stiffened at the contact as his eyes widen impossibly wide as he stared at the floor over the person's shoulder. Then he realized who exactly had brought him into an embrace so suddenly and he immediately began to struggle, "Let go, Legolas."

"...No."

"I swear if you don't let go of me, I will punch you straight in the balls!" He threatened sharply as his struggling became weaker upon feeling his arms tighten around him.

" _No_."

Jupiter opened his mouth to continue his threats and curse at him, but he froze, gaping when Legolas rests his chin on his shoulder and whispered soothingly in his native language. Warmth washed over him upon hearing these words even though he couldn't understand it, and then he began to notice the warmth radiating off the elf himself. A foreign sensation coiled around his stomach as his muscles relaxed and he sagged onto the ellon.

He shakily brought up his hands and clenched his fingers around the fabric of his shirt as he buried his face into his neck. He heard Legolas breath out a sigh as his arms pulled him closer, just like Jupiter had wanted. He needed this... How did he not know that he needed this? But why Legolas? How did he make him calm down so easily?...

Legolas, himself, was also surprised. When he had seen him return to them with that expressionless mask and then quickly began to spiral down in panic, his body moved before his mind can register what he was doing. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aragorn guide a tearful Frodo away so that he can leave them alone and to speak to Frodo alone as well.

The archer thought he made the wrong move when he struggled and demanded to let him go, but he didn't give up. Even though his subconscious screamed for him to give in to his demands before he really does hurt him, he knew that Jupiter needed this. No matter how many times he cursed or how much he struggled, he knew that he needed this. The only thing left that he had done was whisper Sindarin words of comfort and the reaction was instantaneous.

Jupiter sank into his embrace, relaxing completely in his arms, and he couldn't help the sigh of relief leaving him. He relaxed his grip around him slightly, but had brought him closer as he began to tremble.

And as they stood there, embracing each other, Legolas couldn't get the fact that he fit perfectly in his arms out of his mind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I told you this one would be way longer! Over 7,000 words :o
> 
> I might have another chapter this long again, but I'm not sure yet.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	12. XII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I tried my best with the accuracy of the medical crap. If something isn't accurate, then pretend it is lol
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Everyone quietly sat in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for any news of Manny. Jupiter kept his gaze downwards but every now and then it would move to glare at any of the people in there with them looking at him or trail over to the desk where the woman had once been. It has been a little while since someone with an angered expression had taken her off duty to take her somewhere and another nurse replaced her.

He rubbed the back of his hand as he tried to think of what infection could possibly make Manny throw up blood. It definitely isn't your regular stomach flu that some people get, so what could it possibly be? He needed some type of reassurance that whatever it is, she's able to pull through.

Jupiter scratched the back of his hand as he sighed deeply. The others at home must be worried sick if the expressions on their faces right before they left meant anything. And he can't forget about Manny's family. They have no  _clue_  that Manny was probably dying and it was his job to either tell them or not. If- no,  _when_  Manny is better, he'll ask her to see if she wants them to know or not. It'll be her choice.

"Jupiter..."

Yeah, Manny is going to get better. She's going to be perfectly fine! If she can eat a ninety-two ounce steak in one sitting and have room for dessert afterwards then she can practically pull through anything!

"Jupiter."

But what if she doesn't? What if her body can't handle it? She's throwing up  _blood_  for fuck's sake!

The scientist snapped his head up at Legolas when he took a hold of his hand, moving it away from his other to keep him from rubbing it. Worry was etched on the elf's face as he told him quietly, "Jupiter, you're hurting yourself." Jupiter looked at him strangely when he said that. What did he mean? It confused him because to his knowledge, he wasn't hurting himself at all.

He winced when he began to register a stinging sensation on his other hand and he looked down. He mentally cursed at the sight of his skin - that was close to being as pale as Legolas' due to the fact that he stays inside more than outside - with four bright lines of red from constant scratching. He thought he had stopped with that stupid habit...

Legolas frowned a little when he looked away after seeing what he had done to his hand, but made no protest to holding the ellon's. Legolas swallowed hard, readjusting their hands so that he laced their fingers together. He was only holding his hand to keep him from hurting himself again and to comfort him. Yes, Legolas was not doing a gesture such as this because he enjoyed touching him or because he enjoyed the way his hand fit into his perfectly, their warmth intermingling, or even the electrifying feeling he gets from just holding it, of course not!

A nurse cautiously approached the small group huddled at the corner of the room, Frodo and Aragorn speaking lowly to each other, deep in their conversation with serious expressions and the other two unnaturally quiet. "Jupiter Holo?" She flinched when his head snapped up and he glared at her through his glasses. "Amanda Valleet-"

" _Vallette_."

"Y-Yes, Vallette. She said that you are her friend? Where are her guardians?"

"Yes, her family by blood is out of state. What do you want?" He spat, not in the mood to play twenty-one questions, and he ignored the warning look he got from both Aragorn and Legolas.

She handed him a clipboard, "These papers need to be filled out. I would also need to know if this will go into her family's medical bill or her own, since she is not a minor, in this case I would have to-"

"Medical bills will have to be discussed later, preferably when we can see her." She nods as he took the clipboard and pen, setting both on his lap.

Once she had walked away, he flipped through the papers with a frown. Giving a light squeeze to the hand that was still holding his, he let go in order to quickly fill out the forms. His hand immediately felt cold once he did.

After bringing them to the front desk, he told the others that he was going to call the rest of the group back home and stepped outside to do so. Jupiter explained the situation to them and wasn't surprised by the onslaught of questions shot at him. To settle them down, he promised them that he will call them back when they receive any news about Manny.

Once he returned to the lobby, he ran his fingers through his messy hair, too busy panicking and getting his best friend to the hospital to even bother grabbing his hat, and returned to his seat beside Legolas, who immediately took a hold of his hand again. Jupiter didn't bother questioning the action, in fact, he pretended that he didn't notice. Legolas was holding his hand to keep him from hurting himself again. It's not like there was a voice in the back of Jupiter's head teasing him relentlessly that, that wasn't the only reason he allowed him to hold his hand, oh, of course not, that's absolutely ridiculous!

Then, they waited... And waited... And waited.

While waiting, there was only one more very noticeable commotion, but it wasn't as bad as the scene Jupiter had created before. It looked like a young skateboarder had been carried in by his friends, crying with a broken leg. Frodo was nearly as quiet as he was, eyes red and hands fidgeting. He can only assume that he wasn't crying anymore because Aragorn was there beside him with a comforting arm around his shoulders.

He checked his phone for the hundredth time that night. Frodo and Aragorn were clearly worn out, and looked ready to fall asleep but he knew that they couldn't even if they tried. It was one in the morning. It has been five and a half hours since she disappeared behind the double doors. What was taking so long? Was she okay? What happened to her?

"Excuse me, are you all with Amanda Vallette?"

Jupiter looks up, his gold eyes narrowing slightly before widening and he stood up. It was a surgeon wearing teal scrubs. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, dirty blonde hair peaking out of his surgeon cap. "Is she okay?"

He paused for a moment before nodding, "Yes, she will be okay."

"Oh, thank fucking God and everything holy..." Jupiter breathed out as his shoulders sagged in relief, all the tension leaving him at once.

The surgeon gave a reassuring smile and held out his hand, and Jupiter shook it before he explained, "I am Dr. June, I operated on Miss Vallette. Her illness had to do with a stomach flu that was transmitted onto her, but this wasn't the main cause. It had to do with appendicitis, and the infection and an impact dealt in that area triggered it. Unfortunately, her appendix had burst which was why she vomited blood and was in severe pain due to the bacteria and puss that had begun to spread throughout her body. If you brought her here any later, it would have been possible that she could have passed away."

Jupiter nodded to the explanation even though the others were sort of lost since they didn't know what appendicitis was, luckily understanding most of it. "Can we see her?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't allow anyone in her room, visiting hours are over until tomorrow morning. It took a couple of hours to completely drain the leakage and then a bit longer to remove the appendix. She will be asleep for a while, but she's no longer at risk and should be able to go home in a few days."

"Thank you, Dr. June." And he meant it. This dude saved his best friend's  _life_! The surgeon only smiled and nodded before walking away, disappearing behind the double doors again.

Jupiter collapsed back onto the chair, sighing in relief. Everyone had relieved smiles on their faces, all of them sharing a moment of silence to soak in the information. She's  _alive_.

But how did she get the stomach flu? He thought to himself. Who would transmit the infection? It couldn't be him and it couldn't be any one of the members of the Fellowship...

_"You know that super nice lunch lady that gives me free cookies once a week? She got sick! Which means no cookies!" She took another bite from her sandwich._

_Jupiter, not feeling bad at all, leaned against his hand, "That's why you're all mopey?"_

_"Yeah, and I got this bruise on my stomach when someone in ballet accidentally pushed me and slammed me into the barre, and it's still sore." The brunette pouted, "Why is life so cruel to me?"_

"Ballet class and the lunch lady!" He gasped, "The lunch lady that gives her cookies! She wasn't at school because she got sick! Oh, I am  _so_ going to make her stop eating those damn cookies."

* * *

"Jupiter, do it, do it!"

"No."

"Please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"No."

"C'mon, it's funny! Dooo it!"

The red head sighed deeply as he reminded himself that this was to keep Manny happy, before covering his face with both hands and after a moment, snapped them open, "Peek-a-boo!"

Manny burst out laughing, well more like wheezing considering she had only awakened an hour ago. "Y-You... Idiot!"

Jupiter's face went red as the others in the room tried to hold back from laughing. Manny knew full and well that he constantly did that with her little sister when she was one year old, not caring how much his friend laughed at him for doing it back then since he would do almost anything to make that adorable tiny person giggle. He swears that she's taking full advantage of her drugged out state.

Suddenly she gasped, falling silent as she turned her attention to the TV. She broke out singing one of those popular pop songs that plays on every radio, but in reality it sucks really bad, causing the teen to groan and cover his ears. Her singing was absolutely awful. She may be great at playing instruments and anything in the arts category, but singing is not her forte.

"Hey, hey, Jupiter, guess what?"

Dragging a hand down his face - he was no longer wearing glasses since the girl kept trying to take them off of him - he responded, "What?"

She reached a hand up that held an IV on the back of it and tickled the bottom of his chin while gushing, "Tickle, wickle, wickle!"

Jupiter just watched her break into another fit of giggles before looking up at the others and saying, "It's not that funny."

"Quite the contrary." Legolas grinned.

He rolled his eyes before turning back to Manny. Through her giggling, he did one of the most classic things to do to a kid. He smirked evilly down at her as he held a fist up with his thumb tucked into it to peak out of his fore and middle finger, "I got your nose!"

Her eyes widen as she touched her face and nose in horror before reaching towards his hand, "Give it back! Give my nose back!"

Jupiter smirked mischievously, "Only if you give me a big kiss."

She pouted up at him and crossed her arms, "I only wanna kiss Frodo."

Frodo seemed to have choked upon hearing that, coughing at the statement with a wild blush decorating his cheeks. "Oh, really?" The scientist's smirk widens into a mischievous grin as the others chuckled.

"Yeah, c'mere, Frodo!" She turned to the hobbit and reached her hands out towards him, "Bring that cute face over here so I can give it a good ol' smooch!" She puckered her lips comically and made exaggerated kissing noises.

Jupiter smirked at the fact that Pippin and Merry joined in on the fun, teasing the life out of the poor ringbearer. He gently pushed Manny back onto her back and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, "Go to sleep. The doctor said you shouldn't stay awake for long."

"Bu-... But I wanna smooch Frodo! And... And pet him! His fluffy hair! So soft and fwuffy!"

"Yes, yes, I know. You can do it in dreamland, okay?"

"Oh... 'kay..."

Jupiter sighed and leaned back in his chair, glad to see that the girl was snoring away as if she wasn't hooked up to machines, in a hospital gown, had a cannula, and was just cut open last night.

"The young lass is exhausted," Gimli broke the short silence. "After all of that, it's not surprisin'."

"Poor girl had suffered enough." Boromir nodded.

"It's all over now." Jupiter chided, "No more sad talk. Let's just focus on being there for her while she's healing."

"Will she stay here for long?" Pippin asked.

"No, she should be coming back home in a couple of days. She's a fast healer, so she should be up and about really soon."

Their conversation was interrupted by a light knock on the door before Dr. June came in with a warm smile, "Hello, gentlemen. Just wanted to check up on Miss Vallette if you don't mind."

Jupiter only nodded as the man closed the door behind him and went over to Manny's side, peeling back the blankets enough to pull up her gown and reveal the bandage. He inspects the stitching on the side of her stomach and nodded in satisfaction, "She looks to be doing fine, no signs of infection. Luckily, the stomach flu has already went away. Whatever you gave her as medication did the trick."

"Good. Oh yeah, I need a note for school so she can be excused." Jupiter remembered, knowing that she would be complaining about her attendance being ruined once the stronger drugs wear off.

"I'll make sure to have one of my nurses bring it before visiting hours are over." He nods and turns to the rest of the men. His eyebrows furrow, "Strange... You all look like those people from the movies my daughter loves. Lord of the Rings I think it was called."

Jupiter saw them glance at each other nervously and spoke up, "They love the trilogy too and are really committed with the fan base. They dress up as them during special events, so that's why they look so much like them."

"I see. Well, all of you have a nice day, I have more patients to tend to." The doctor said before leaving the room quietly.

Just like he had stated, a nurse came in a while later with an envelope and gave it to Jupiter. While she was in the room she checked on the brunette's vitals before leaving. When visiting hours were nearing it's end, he took half of the Fellowship back home and came back for the rest straight after.

Most of the day was quiet. Jupiter spent most of his time outside smoking a cigarette while on his laptop, the Fellowship doing their own training to pass the time and stay fit. On his laptop he exchanged emails with teachers, agreeing with them all that when he returns to school he will visit their classrooms to retrieve Manny's homework and such.

He sighed when he realized that he would have to put the brunette on a specific diet which consisted of eating normal quantities of food. She'll have a hissy fit, yes, but it's best not to strain her abdominal organs while they're still recovering from surgery.

* * *

_He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, his own on a waist, their opposite hands clasped together. He felt warmth roll off the other, his need to be closer becoming stronger than he can handle._

_The one who held him seemed to have the same thought and pulled him closer to him, to the point where their lips were inches away from each other. The face was blurry, like it usually was, but he can still feel eyes pierce into his own._

_They were moving, dancing in a large room by themselves. He felt at peace, he felt so happy, he felt... He felt something that he couldn't quite place, but was much more important and powerful. It was so strong that it consumed his very being and he_ knew _. He just knew that whoever this person was-..._

_Like before, he saw blurry lips stretch into a warm smile before they leaned in. He followed the other's action, waiting for the kiss that was to be shared. Right before his eyes fell closed, his vision cleared, but like before... He can't remember what this mysterious person looks like._

Jupiter sat up from his bed with a gasp. It was that dream again. The dream that has been replaying over and over ever since Manny had been discharged from the hospital along with the occasional stupid nightmare that he never seems to remember.

Every time he would be dancing with someone, feeling at peace and so joyful. As if it was meant to be - no. No, he  _knows_ it was meant to be. It had always been a blurry figure, dancing with him before they leaned towards each other to kiss, but right before their lips connect, he wakes up.

As each day went by, he would continue having the same dream over and over again. And every time his vision clears right before he closes his eyes just when they're about to kiss, he wakes up not remembering what the person looked like. He knew that he knew them, but didn't know who they were. All he knew was that he cares about them deeply. He wants to hold them. Cherish them. Make them smile and laugh... He wants to  _protect_ them.

The scientist felt himself slide out of the bed carefully enough to not wake up his snoring best friend in order to crouch down and shakily reach under his bed. He took the glass object from beneath it and went to his desk.

There was something about them that he knew for sure though. Deep down he had always known, but he was in such denial that he brushed it off. But... But it's ten times worse now. Now he  _really_ knew. He was getting closer to finding them and he would be lying if he told himself that he wasn't scared of discovering the truth.

Jupiter opened the jar and grabbed a small piece of paper from the drawer of his desk along with a pen, turning the desk light on before beginning to write,

_I'm gay._

_That's why I couldn't find you._

_I kept dating girls, assuming that you were a girl, denying that voice in my head screaming at me that I'm making a mistake every time I ask a girl that I thought I liked romantically._

_Even when I found out for myself, even when I accidentally came out to my fucking best friend, I still denied it..._

_But now I'll accept it. Because it doesn't matter. It doesn't fucking matter to me anymore. It doesn't matter if you're a boy. Fuck what other people think, fuck everything._

_I'm so close to finding you, I can feel it, dammit. I keep having the same dream over and over again. What Mother had seen before she..._

_I know it's you. I just know it's you. It felt so real and true, and I don't care if you think I'm crazy. I'm a scientist, I shouldn't believe in things like visions and shit like that, but after all this time I just know it's all real. It's so hard to explain and I hope that you feel it too, because when you know, you just_ know _._

_But then I start to think and remember that this is real life... I start to ask the important questions._

_What if you don't want me? What if I still don't find you?_

**_What if you're dead?_ **

Jupiter took a sharp breath in, dropping his pen as he stared down at the bold words that he wrote roughly. He felt himself sinking in a dark place. Despair clawed at him, whispering nasty things into his ear.

_He won't love you._

_Join us._

_You will only suffer if you stay._

His entire body trembled as he folded up the piece of paper haphazardly, not bothering to tie a ribbon around it before dropping it into the jar and screwing it shut. From where he was, he rolled the jar onto the floor enough so that it returned to it's place beneath his bed.

He wanted to scream, kick, rage at everything in his sight. His ୴ղᥴ might not want him or return his feelings. His ୴ղᥴ could be so far and hidden that he would never find him. His ୴ղᥴ could be dead and he would never know.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels! Feels everywhere, man D:
> 
> Hey, I wanna clarify that Jupiter's last name is pronounced as "Hollow" and Manny's last name is pronounced as "Vallay".
> 
> Anyway, I don't know when next week's chapter will be uploaded since I am going to Wizard World. I'm dressing up as Peter Quill and my friend is coming with me dressed as a Gryffindor AND THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I'M GONNA MISS SEEING NEARLY THE ENTIRE FELLOWSHIP CAST. ELIJAH JUST GOT ADDED AND I AM SO READY - LIKE I'LL BE HAPPY WITH JUST A GLIMPSE OF HIM AND THE OTHERS.
> 
> ...Sorry, I'm just really excited.


	13. XIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: ...Still not a scientist.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

A hand reached up to rub at a golden eye under the lenses of glasses, drowsiness creeping up to the scientist due to his extremely busy day.

The day started out very simple. He had woken up and ate breakfast before going out to restock on food with the help of Gimli and Boromir, who had offered to tag along. Afterwards, he had started early for work, and worked all through the afternoon and the evening until his face was cramping from the fake smiles and his wrists were hurting from carrying trays of food over and over again.

Faintly, he remembered the same guy that asked him out that one night there again, Ethan was his name he thinks. Instead of sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant, he sat in the corner. At first, Jupiter didn't really think anything of it at first since he can recall Ethan saying that he really liked coming to the restaurant.

It was only a couple of innocent minutes of obliviousness before the red head noticed how he kept getting a strange chill every time he was near where the man sat. Jupiter would always look back to see what caused it, maybe a pair of eyes on him, but he never finds any and the feeling disappears. Jupiter had felt on edge the rest of that night, even on his motorcycle. He was so paranoid that someone was following him that he broke the speed limit, took a lot of sharp turns, and didn't drive back home until no one was driving behind him. Maybe it all had just been in his head...

It's been a few days since Manny was discharged from the hospital and she was already moving around like she usually would, although Frodo continuously worried about her whenever she did. Considering that the brunette was finally getting better, Jupiter returned to his work in the lab. He may be exhausted from the long day, but that didn't mean he didn't have energy to work at home.

After much contemplation over what Jupiter had gathered so far, he decided to look over everything he had again. More specifically, the Fellowship's strange blood. He needed three major questions answered concerning it. How did the high levels of electricity get there, why it's there, and where did it come from. Those were the questions he contemplated as he sat on his chair backwards in front of the blackboard, his arms resting on the back of the chair as he sucked on his lollipop.

Jupiter took out the candy that was now half it's original size and muttered to himself, "Electricity... Electricity... How the hell did you get in there you son of a bitch?"

The scientist looked up at the ceiling upon feeling the floor rumble beneath his feet. Although he can't hear it, he can feel the weather making it's presence known and confirming the meteorologists prediction for the day. He sighed and stood up to approach his blackboard in order to examine the impossible phenomenon that he printed out.

Jupiter stared at it for the longest time as he bit the rest of the lollipop, his teeth crunching down on the shards of blue raspberry flavored sugar. He huffed when the ground rumbled again and he even heard a faint crack coming from above him. He dug in his memory for how long this storm will last. He rather not have it distracting him while he's trying to concentrate and he didn't want to turn on his music in case anyone in the house was asleep. Seriously, if he can feel from down here then it must be nearly as bad as the one from-

"Oh my fuck." The stick of his lollipop fell limply onto the ground, "I'm such a fucking dumbass! That's what I was missing!"

He didn't even care if he was talking to himself as he hurriedly grabbed the chalk and went to the part of his notes where he had noted what Manny told him what happened the night the Fellowship arrived. The only thing that was wrong with it was that he left out an element from his original notes that seemed to have no importance at the time. It had been storming with thunder and lightning - violently, he may add - and thinking back on it now, it had been unexpected since the weatherman had stated it would be sunny with temperatures a little low.

"That's why their blood is different! It has to be!" Jupiter told himself as he ran his gaze over what was already written down on the boards, "If we were talking half-magic and half-science here, the TV was a door. Like a door you would see at the end of a hallway, but they needed some type of energy. Some type of energy to move through that hallway and through that door, and that was the lightning the thunderstorms produced! And maybe, just maybe, enough energy is being stored inside them for the trip back!..."

He was near shouting now as he frantically wrote down his theory, "That's why I couldn't figure it out. I was looking too far into the factual and logical side, I didn't even consider if... if  _magic_  was involved!" Jupiter stepped back to admire his diagram, his voice lowering back to a whisper, "Yeah... How could I possibly explain how a group of supposedly fictional characters came out of a television screen scientifically?"

"Are you sure?"

Jupiter jumped with a nasty curse, quickly turning to the person who had decided it was a good idea to scare the absolute shit out of him in his own lab. He glared at the ellon who was oblivious of the hostile glare he was receiving as he examined the newest addition on the blackboard, "Just because you know the password doesn't mean you can come popping up in here. Now I'm tempted to change it."

"Do what you like, but what you had just said..." Legolas's words trailed off.

"Yeah, I may or may not just had somewhat of a breakthrough. No big deal." Jupiter shrugged casually.

"No big deal?" The elf repeated incredulously, "We must tell everyone what you have discovered! This is wonderful news!"

"Hey, hey, hey, hold your horses, big fella." Jupiter quickly went after him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him to a stop and turning him around, "This isn't confirmed yet. I still have to look into some things before we tell them since for all I know I may be on the right track, but my analysis could be off. I don't want to give any of you false hope."

"But it is something." Legolas protested, "At least we now know why we have this energy in us and it explains how we are not dead as you have said before."

The scientist rolled his eyes as he went back to grab his notebook, "Yeah, but still. It's better to be safe than sorry, and I hate when I make my final statement and it's incorrect." He picks up his pencil, " _And_  I'm usually never wrong. Now either shut up and sit down, or leave."

Legolas shook his head at his demand and took a seat on the chair that Jupiter had been sitting only seconds ago, "It would not hurt to tell me nicely."

"I don't do nice. I thought the whole getting arrested for fighting and being an insensitive dick made that clear." He copied down his discovery in his notebook swiftly.

"Just because you have done some bad things does not mean you are not nice. If you were unkind, you would not have us all live here for the time being, let alone help return us to Middle-Earth."

"You're always looking at the good side of things. It kinda makes me sick."

Legolas was about to defend himself upon hearing his statement, but he quickly noticed the teasing smirk on his face. "And it 'kinda' makes me sick when you look at the bad side of things."

"Then we're two very different people."

"Yes... perhaps." He wasn't so sure about that.

Then, the both of them fell silent as Jupiter went to his blackboards and erased the writing scratched haphazardly onto it, leaving only important notes that were needed as a reminder. He quickly buried himself in his train of thought as his hand moved gracefully over the board and the only sound in the room being the sound of chalk being used.

Jupiter adjusted his glasses as he eyed his much more organized diagram of what he had predicted. He put question marks on the first couple of boxes - what had caused this in the first place, why it happened, and what took them out of their  _own_  world and through their  _own_  door - while the others were filled with statements of his discovery. It was simple, but very lacking. It was a start, though.

"Did you know there is a chemical formula for love?" The red head asked suddenly without turning around.

Legolas looked at him, surprised by the sudden question, "No."

"Well, now you do. It's a combination of dopamine, seratonin, and oxytocin. It can be created in a lab very easily, but if someone were to overdose on it, it can cause schizophrenia, extreme paranoia, and insanity." The elf didn't expect a wry smile to appear on his face, "Love can literally make someone lose their mind..."

Before Legolas could even open his mouth to speak, Jupiter spun around to face him again, "I haven't really thought about that again until you explained to me about elf marriage and bonding. The myth you were talking about after that was true love, right? It wasn't hard to figure out, really." He paused for a moment, "It made me think that, yes, love can be something that can be created and something you can literally hold in the palm of your hand, but  _true_  love... Is much more than that. It can't be created or destroyed... It just is. Like magic... And matter."

"Jupiter..." He whispered worriedly. For a moment he had thought it was just his imagination when he heard his voice, but that was instantly wiped away once he had gotten a good look of his face. There was such longing and sorrow in his eyes that Legolas began to think that he was dreaming due to the sight of his beautifully troubled expression.

Legolas nearly gave his head a rough shake to get rid of that unintentional thought. He definitely did not mean to say beautiful, but that's not important right now. Jupiter seems to snap out of whatever daze he was in, and just like that, his signature smirk made it's appearance once again, "If only I had those ingredients... Maybe I could test it on one of my brand new guinea pigs."

"Oh, quit jesting." Legolas chuckled lightly and stood, "It has been quite some time since I've heard anything, I'm sure it has stopped storming. Would you... would you like to join me outside?"

Jupiter glanced around him, eyeing the places around the lab he had worked at and breathed a sigh. He desperately needed some type of break after what he has been through not only today, but this whole week. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

"Hey, you never finished the whole elf marriage lesson."

"Yes, I haven't... Where did I leave off?" Legolas muttered more to himself before his eyes lit up, "Oh yes! I was going to tell you of my favorite tale that everyone believes to be a myth that my mother always told me when I was an elfling."

"A tale?" Jupiter perked up, suddenly very interested as he sat up straighter on the bench swing, "Do tell."

"Well, many,  _many_  hundreds of thousands of years ago, it was believed that elves who are bonded and were truly in love, a love so deep and genuine, are not only united through their souls, but linked together through mind, body, and soul."

"...What do you mean?"

"Let me start from the beginning..." The elf paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, "There was a time, near the beginning of the birth of my race, where an elleth and an ellon met in a secluded area in a forest, a place that could not be easily found. The ellon had been hunting for food, a task that he has done for so long that he was surprised to hear a sound that he has never heard before when he does so. He was curious, awed even, when he noticed that it wasn't a noise that one would see as hostile. It was beautiful and light, and as he grew closer he realized that this strange sound was singing."

Legolas stopped for a moment to glance over at Jupiter. His companion had his eyes trained on him and was soaking up every word that was coming out of his mouth. He copied his position and turned in his seat to face him, the elf's voice and hand gestures becoming more accentuated, "The ellon eventually came across a line of bushes that had the sun's radiating light seeping through along with the voice that pulled him to this point. He peeks through and there, he saw an elleth. She was the most beautiful elleth he had ever laid his eyes on, and he has seen  _many_  attractive elleths throughout his years, mind you. She was dancing and singing in that small area, brightly lit unlike the outside of it, without a care in the world. He desperately wanted to know who she is, why she was there, why she was singing and dancing, but he did not want to interrupt her. So he waited."

"Don't tell me this is one of those love at first sight stories..." The scientist rolled his eyes.

"No, it's not," He chuckled and continued on, "The elleth eventually stopped her singing and dancing, but it was to look straight towards where the ellon was watching her from. She spoke to him and asked, 'Who are you? Why do you hide in the shadows?' She was not scared of whoever it was that was watching her, only curious like the ellon had been when he heard her. The ellon came out of his hiding place and told her, 'I heard a voice in the air and followed it. Why were you not only singing, but dancing here?' She looked confused by his question, saying, 'Is there a reason why I shouldn't? Could you not hear the world around us sing along to my lullaby? It makes not only I, but the living that surrounds us happy when I sing and dance.' Now he became confused by her question, and that's when they continued speaking to each other. She showed him the wonders of listening to the nature around them, actually listening and feeling what it feels, an aspect that no elf had yet to discover. They befriended each other, but the ellon had to leave, it was night and he has not gotten any food still."

"What happens next?" Jupiter asks anxiously when he paused again.

Legolas smiled, "Simple. They slowly fell in love as their friendship grew deeper. That secret area in the forest became their personal place to talk, and share laughter and joy with each other... Then years later, they used their haven to not only talk and share laughter, but to love and share their affection. Their love was absolutely breathtaking. Unbreakable. It was a love that no other elf, no man, no other living thing can truly understand unless they experience it for themselves. The All High recognized it, oh, he could not tear his eyes away from these two elves. He wondered to himself as to why this was. He has seen many lovers of both Men and Elves, but these two have caught his interest. They brought a smile to his face, tears in his eyes, and an answer for this question. For the first time, he has witnessed  _true_  love."

"Isn't the All High like your world's God?" The other spoke up, "Eru's his name, right?"

He nods, "He wanted this sacred love to be special and something that all elves can strive for in order to achieve true happiness. So he declared that all who have found this will not only be united through the soul, but will be connected through mind, body,  _and_  soul. Once the elleth and ellon bonded, they experienced these aspects. It had brought them to tears and only strengthen their still growing love. For the first time, they left their haven together and shared what they had experienced, giving others something to strive for."

Jupiter furrowed his brows, "But you said that it  _was_  believed... What stopped everyone from believing?"

"Each and every elf that thought their love with their partner was true, were not given these gifts. The ellon and elleth tried to explain to them all that true love wasn't simply loving someone, it was much deeper than that. They were made to be liars, and they ran away, never to be seen again."

Once Legolas finished the tale, Jupiter blinked owlishly, "That's it? They just run away and that's it?!"

"I reacted the exact same way." He sighed, "I have always wondered what had happened to them."

"Exactly." Jupiter crossed his arms, "So they're the first, and only, known elves to discover true love?"

"Yes... Supposedly, that is."

"It makes you wonder though... If it really does exist, what do you think it would feel like?"

Legolas opened his mouth before closing it. He gained a very thoughtful look as he fully processed the question, "I'm not sure. As the tale goes, in order for me to understand and know how it feels, I will have to experience it myself. Sadly, I do not think I will ever experience such a wonderful thing."

"Hey, don't get all negative on me." Jupiter gave his arm a scolding nudge, "You never know. I mean, you guys literally did the impossible and fell out of Manny's TV."

"You're right, Jupiter." The elf gave him a small smile, "You're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, guys, Wizard World yesterday was amazing.
> 
> My friend was dressed up as a Gryffindor and I was dressed as Peter Quill, and we both saw Elijah Wood, Sean Bean, Sean Astin, and Billy Boyd (Actors of: Frodo, Boromir, Sam, and Pippin). Sadly, we had to leave before we saw Sebastian Stan and even if we did stay longer, it was so crowded around his booth that we wouldn't be able to get a peek of him anyway D:. It's alright though, I got a bomb af Bucky poster and a beautiful Legolas sticker slapped on my wall right above me to make up for not seeing Sebby :D
> 
> Also, next chapter will be a bit longer. I'm still exhausted from the excitement yesterday so I didn't make this one too long.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.
> 
> EDIT: Forgot to mention that the chemical formula for love thing came from a Tumblr post that I remember seeing on IG. :D


	14. XIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Again... I am not a chemist.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter begrudgingly scratched down the notes that the history teacher in front of the room was writing on the board with her neat handwriting as she droned on and on about the Renaissance period. He completely ignored the bewildered glances he was getting both from his classmates and the teacher herself when they noticed what he was doing.

Believe him, he didn't want to write any notes. In fact, he rather just fall asleep right now on his desk with music filtering into his ears. The only reason he was doing this task, a task that he very rarely does when he felt like it, was because Manny was still on bed rest and needed as many notes as she can get. They only had two classes together, which was history and math, so it was his job to provide her the notes straight from the classroom.

Jupiter tried with all his might to drown out his teacher's voice and found out that this took little effort to do as his hand continued to do the writing for him, his thoughts wandering off. Today has been extremely sunny and warm, a pleasant change compared to the cold air nipping him through his hoodie whenever he stepped outside. In fact, it was so nice outside, that today during gym they went out on the track. He had been so busy lately that he had almost forgotten how much of a stress reliever running and exercising was, and mentally noted to start working out again soon.

This lead to him thinking of the Fellowship's way of training and exercising to keep in shape. He frowned, nearly wincing as he realized how secluded they have been lately. All of them, especially Legolas, must be getting tired of hanging around at a single place while occasionally going out to buy groceries. Shrugging, he decided to figure something out later.

The scientist remembered what had happened last night after Legolas had told him the story about the first elleth and ellon to both discover and experience true love. They had fallen into a companionable silence as Jupiter smoked away, basking in the bearable chill of the night, with the chirping of crickets being the only noise around them.

During that moment, Legolas had looked at him and suddenly asked if his hair and eyes had come from his parents. Jupiter had went unnaturally emotionless at the question, stating stiffly that he was adopted and had no clue who his biological parents were, prompting the elf to apologize.

Jupiter had simply shrugged off the apology, yawning as he disposed the useless bud of his cigarette. As drowsiness fully began to settle in on him, he told Legolas that even when his adoptive parents found him, there was no identification linked to him and he was written off as a child that had possibly been born and grew up on the streets.

He faintly remembered himself muttering something about Manny being adopted too before a hand gently pulled him down until his head laid on a warm surface. The last thing that he can recall before he finally succumbed to the darkness's grasp was Legolas humming a gentle tune as what felt like fingers timidly brush over his hair.

Jupiter flinched in his seat when the bell rang obnoxiously, signalling students to get their asses out of class in order to go to their next one. He sighed and took his time packing up while the others rushed out of class in hopes of not being late. He made to close the notebook he was writing notes in, but froze when his eyes caught a series of words that he had written on the margins during the brief times the teacher had stopped writing on the board.

Legolas's name decorated the edge of the lined paper in his notebook, written over and over again.

He swallowed hard before furiously scratching it out with his pencil until it was nothing but a dark grey bold. He wasn't sure whether the heat on his cheeks was due to his various levels of confused irritation or from pure embarrassment. He settled on both.

* * *

After a long day of school along with avoiding two certain people that shall not be named, Jupiter returned home with a full Walmart bag in one hand and Twizzlers in the other. He rose an eyebrow at the sight that greeted him, noting bitterly that Manny was in the living room where she wasn't suppose to be, but she luckily wasn't partaking in the activity the others were doing.

Pippin and Merry were in an intense game of  _Just Dance_.

Jupiter stood there, watching the odd sight of the two hobbits trying to mimic the moves as the others cheered them on and he's gotta say, they were doing really well, but the sight was comical. C'mon, who wouldn't think it's funny? Imagine Pippin and Merry playing  _Just Dance_ , and not laugh. I dare you.

When the song came to an end and the group of hobbits celebrated their victory, Jupiter voiced out his presence, "Having fun there?"

All at once, all of their heads whipped around to look at him, "Young lad, you have returned!" Gimli greeted him gleefully, "Would ya like to give this dancing game a whirl?"

"Yes, give it a go, Jupiter!" Boromir grinned, the others voicing out their encouragements.

"Nah, I can't dance." Jupiter smirked in amusement when he heard a few whines of protest and spoke to Manny, "How's your stomach after getting the stitches taken out?"

"Great! I woke up earlier and I barely felt any pain, so I came downstairs to show everyone how to use the Kinect." She chirped before her gaze drifted to the bag in his hand.

"Went on a quick shopping trip." He said when he noticed what she was looking at, "Good thing that you're pretty much all healed up because we're taking a field trip, since it's a nice day today."

Manny gasped dramatically, "A field trip?!"

"Where to?" Legolas asked.

"All of you have been holed up in here for awhile, so I thought we can all go to a secret lake that Manny and her family use to go to all the time." Jupiter explained before tossing Aragorn the bag, "Here are some swim trunks so you can figure out yourselves who's wearing which one. We're leaving in half an hour." He then wandered into the kitchen, eating his Twizzler as he did so.

"You heard the nerd, that's the end of  _Just Dance_."

"But Manny, just one more time?"

An hour later, they all arrived to the lake that laid deep within the depths of the forest along a secret path. Both Jupiter and Manny were pleased to see that it was still untouched since the last time they were there, no litter or any other type of pollution caused by humans in sight. It was refreshing to see after their horrible experience at the beach during the summer.

The second the Fellowship came clambering out of the cars, they took one look around and simultaneously grinned at the familiar setting. No advanced technology, no huge buildings, no cars, just nature. They all exclaimed their thanks to both Jupiter and Manny, grateful to the both of them for bringing them somewhere that reminded them of home.

Surprisingly, Aragorn was the first to strip off his shirt to leave him in his trunks and jump into the water. With a whoop, Pippin and Merry followed after him but kept very close to the shallow part of the lake and kept their shirts on. The rest followed after them, and the only other people who kept their shirts on were the rest of the hobbits and Gimli.

Jupiter, who was the only one not wearing any swimwear and wore only a shirt and cargo shorts, turns to Manny just in time to see her strip off the clothes that was covering her swimsuit. He nearly slapped his hand to his forehead when he saw her in a black bikini top that was held together with a bow in the back behind her neck, along with a matching black bikini skirt that reached her mid thigh.

As she tied her hair up into a ponytail, he made to ask why the hell she was wearing that now of all times but Sam beat him to the punch, "Manny, what in the world are you wearing?!"

She turned around to face Sam and the hobbits that were playing in the water near the shore. Jupiter sighed when she looked on in confusion when Frodo made a strange noise as his face lit up into a startling red while both Merry and Pippin coughed awkwardly as they looked off to the side, "What?"

"Manny, dammit, you're wearing a bikini." Jupiter snapped impatiently, "You know how prude all of them are with women wearing shit like that."

The brunette's mouth formed an 'o' shape as her eyes grew a little wide in realization. She laughed and grinned sheepishly, "Whoops, sorry guys. I forgot."

Jupiter shook his head in exasperation and stripped off his own shirt in order to toss it at the woman, she shouted an angry 'Hey!' when it landed directly on her face, "Wear that before the others see you, or else they'll throw a hissy fit."

"Ew, I don't want to wear your gross shirt." Manny grumbled, but slid the piece of clothing on anyway. "Okay, is this better now?"

His eyes briefly scanned over her and he nods, "Yeah, go have fun. Don't drown."

"Hey, I can actually swim unlike you, thank you very much." She placed a hand on her hip and cocked it, lowering her voice as her annoyance seemingly disappeared in an instant, "I can stay here with you if you want and keep you company."

Jupiter gave his eyes a roll as he stepped closer to her to turn her around and give her a gentle push towards the lake, "Quit with that shit. Just go play in the bacteria-infested fish water already."

"But-"

He interrupted her protests by giving her butt a playful pat and she instantly whirled around to sink her fist into his stomach. Jupiter curled into himself and wheezed out a snicker as the artist glared at him with a barely restrained grin, "Serves you right. No one touches these fine buttocks other than me, myself, and I."

"Nice... nice punch." Her best friend rasped as she headed towards the water as if she did not just punch him in the stomach for basically slapping her ass. Of course, they were close enough that he sometimes did that in a joking manner, but each time it earned him an impressive, well-deserved, punch or slap. If any other person had done that to her, as courageous as a chicken nugget or not, she would give them absolutely no mercy including him.

After Jupiter recovered from the hit he had received, he decided to lay out a towel for him to lay on and retrieved a book from the car that he had earlier brought with him from his room. It was the book that he had originally planned on reading instead of that... other one. Jupiter laid on his stomach with the thick book open in front of him, propping his head up with his hand.

He quickly sped through the introduction to bioenergetics and began his reading through the actual stuff. He tuned out the shouting and laughing along with the sloshing of water in order to concentrate on the words in front of him. So far, there was nothing that has caught his eye in the book, not surprising him in the slightest. Not even the index brought any interest, but he'll just have to read the whole entire thing to find out if there is anything useful in it.

Jupiter huffed as he flipped the page, his feet absentmindedly kicking behind him as he mentally noted some interesting facts and theories that he would keep locked away in his mind for personal use. He has no clue how long it has been since he started, but he was a fast reader and he was almost halfway through the book. He still heard everyone having a great time, and his arm was starting to ache from resting his head on it, so it's safe to say that it's been a while.

"Your markings have healed."

The red head jumped, looking up to see Legolas standing next to him. He sighed as he pulled himself into a seated position, bringing his book with him as he patted the empty spot beside him on the towel, "I swear, one day you're gonna give me a heart attack." He said instead of cursing like he usually did whenever the elf unintentionally sneaks up on him with his light feet.

Legolas sat himself beside him, "My apologies."

"No need to be sorry." Jupiter shrugged and looked at him properly. The blonde was wet from head to toe, his long hair still dripping water even though it looks like most of it had been squeezed out. Forcing his eyes not to move any lower, he asked, "What are you doing over here? You should be spending time with the others."

"I saw you by yourself here reading a book, and I wanted to spend time with you as well." He shot a small, playful smile at him, "I also fear that the dwarf is out for my head for tripping him in the water."

The corner of his lips twitched at the last statement, "Nice. Seriously though, you don't have to sit around with little ol' me."

"And I am telling you, Jupiter, I much rather spend time with you right now."

Jupiter ignored the familiar sensation of the beating underneath his rib cage stopping for a split moment before picking up into an unnatural pace. He was going to make a smartass comment like he usually does, but he looked at Legolas to see that he was looking right back at him with the most genuine smile he has ever seen. It made him unnaturally warm, a weird thing to feel when his soul is colder than liquid nitrogen. "...Thanks."

The ellon's brows furrow slightly at the odd response. Well, odd for Jupiter, that is. Even if it was odd to hear it come from him after what he had said, he knew that he meant it and a giddy feeling exploded in Legolas's chest. After a moment he inquired, "Why haven't you joined?"

Jupiter breathed out a sigh and shook his head, "I just don't like large masses of water. Or water in general, unless it's used for my health." He held up his book slightly, "I rather read this anyway than get like... that." He gestured to his wet form.

Legolas went expressionless for a moment upon hearing what he said before a smirk slowly appeared. A very uncharacteristic smirk. A smirk that Jupiter did not like and alerted alarm bells in his head. The red head took a good look at his face and knew  _exactly_  what he was thinking, glaring darkly, "Don't you dare."

His smirk grew wider, "What do you mean, Jupiter?"

Jupiter dropped his book, "Fuck this." Then scrambled onto his feet and bolted.

He was fast, Jupiter knew that for a fact. His speed and stamina always help him finish his laps first in gym so he can get an easy A, but as he took a risky glance over his shoulder, all of his hopes were quickly washed down the drain. The bastard was hot on his heels and he was fucking  _fast_. But that didn't mean Jupiter was going to give up, that was the last thing he was going to do.

Legolas was admittedly impressed by Jupiter's speed. If he were a normal man, he would have caught up easily, but the scientist was really making him push a little further than usual. Though, he had no chance of outrunning him and he seems to also realize this too as he picked up the pace a little after a quick glance back at him.

Unfortunately, the chase didn't last long and a pair of wet, yet strong, arms were soon wrapped around his waist, sweeping him off his feet. A rather unmanly yelp escaped him at the sudden action, momentarily shocked by how effortlessly Legolas had caught him while they were both running. Jupiter gasped loudly when he was smothered by the wet body.

"Oh my fucking God, get your soggy ass off of me you pointy-eared piece of shit!" He struggled violently as the man in front of him laughed at his curses. Jupiter, for some reason, couldn't keep a stupid grin off his face, "Don't make me kick you in the-  _Ah!_ "

Jupiter's struggling may have been a little too much since he accidentally tripped them both over, causing the red head to fall onto the ground on his back with Legolas following close behind. Luckily, the ellon caught himself just in time to not squash him upon impact, but their chests were still pressed together.

He quickly recovered from the fall and nudged Legolas's shoulders, "Ew, ew, ew, you're saturating my entire body."

"That was rather eventful." The elf commented as he lifted himself up with his forearms to stay propped up, "And your body is more damp than anything. Your hair is what you should be more worried about considering it looks similar to that of a soaked rose." Jupiter, however, wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying anymore. No, he was paying attention to something completely different. He could see the other's mouth moving as he spoke to him, but no sound was coming out.

Legolas's blonde hair fell around both of their heads like a curtain, the sunlight shining through it making it seem as if it was glowing. His eyes trailed away from the beautiful platinum blonde tendrils, and allowed his gaze to rake over the muscles on his arms and stomach that he can clearly see due to the flexing from propping himself up. Then, he focused on the man's face.

Everything about him was perfect, as expected of any elf. But somewhere inside of Jupiter, he felt that his appearance isn't the only reason why he thinks he's perfect. His appearance was never the first thing that came to mind when he thought about the elf's perfection. Legolas is without a doubt a beautiful ellon, but a part of him screamed that he was perfect because it was Legolas. It was Legolas and that's what made him perfect. He was different. Even when Jupiter spoke to him in a way that definitely should have offended him, he continued being his friend. When he pushed him away, even before the whole hospital fiasco, Legolas stayed because... He didn't know. He didn't know and that confused him beyond belief.

He didn't know why it was now of all times he was now noticing what he has been feeling for so long already. Why he was feeling these things, these desires to hold Legolas, to talk to him about everything that he didn't know about him, to protect him with everything he's got, to ask him why he isn't scared, to ask him why he fucking  _cares_... And dammit, he feels all of this so strongly and he just knows this is something that he has never experienced before nor is it something that he should feel for someone who is somewhat of a friend-

Oh-

Oh God.

_Oh no_.

"Jupiter, are you well? Did you hit your head?"

Jupiter could only give his head a small shake in response to his questions that he can finally hear. Still in a daze, he was helped up to his feet after Legolas took his hand in his, and he felt his knees nearly go weak at the sensation of the warmth wrapping around his hand.

_Jupiter-fucking-Holo, has a crush on Legolas-fucking-Greenleaf._

Great.

Just fucking  _great_.

* * *

For the rest of their time at the lake, Jupiter switched entirely into autopilot. His mind was completely blank from when Manny had brought out the food that she helped him pack to eat for dinner, to throughout the car ride back home when it started to get dark and cold again, and finally to when he trudged his way back to the lab after taking a steaming hot shower.

He plopped himself down on the desk chair and stared at the black screens of the computers in front of him. It wasn't until now that his brain fully processed what the hell had happened after Legolas had chased him around the lake. It wasn't until now that his brain fully processed that he may or may not have some type of...  _feelings_  for him.

Nope. Uh-uh. Nada. Jupiter absolutely refuses to believe that he has a... a  _crush_  on Legolas of all people! It was ridiculous, right? Yeah, he probably thought he was a little cute when he first saw him, and yeah, he has admired the stupid elf since he first saw him as a kid, but that didn't mean anything. It meant nothing. He could have easily mistaken what he went through earlier as admiration or a simple attraction that anyone would have for someone else. He most definitely did not have a crush on Legolas.

"This is hurting my brain." The scientist told himself, sighing as he rubbed his eye behind his glasses. He desperately needed some type of distraction and he wasn't planning on leaving the lab anytime soon, so he's going to have to figure something out.

Jupiter spun around in his chair and hummed thoughtfully. He could continue his research, but he felt that it would just lead to him thinking about a certain ellon again and would do more harm than help. Hm... Well, he did just replenish his supply of certain chemicals, which are some of the key ingredients for one of his favorite experiments...

Just as he was standing up from his chair, the door that acted as both an entrance and exit of the lab swung open without warning. He tripped over his own feet due to how startled he was, but he managed to catch himself by holding onto the desk before he smashed his face on the ground, though it costed him a few papers that fell onto the ground.

Jupiter scrambled back up so that he was standing up straight and he chuckled nervously at the sight of a bewildered elf, whom had seen his small klutzy moment. "Legolas! Hey, man! Dude, bro, buddy!" He cleared his throat as he desperately searched for words to say as his heart raced, "Is- Is there anything that you need?"

"Nothing in particular." The blonde shut the door behind him and walked towards him as he said, "I just wanted to check on you. You have been acting strangely for some time now. Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm cool, I'm good, I'm great!" Legolas stopped a couple of feet in front of him and crossed his arms, giving his friend a knowing look. Jupiter winced at the sight and sighed deeply as he knelt down to pick up the papers, "It's nothing, I just have a lot on my mind is all. I should be fine once I find a distraction or something."

"Can I be of help?" The man asked without hesitation and Jupiter wanted to say fuck no, but he knew that would just end with an expression on Legolas's face that he never wants to see on him.

"Yes, actually. How do you feel about another experiment?" The red head felt himself smirk when his blue eyes immediately lit up, "Go grab the lab coats and glasses. I'll get everything we need. Oh, and make sure to pull your hair back again since we're working with fire this time."

* * *

"So, technically I'm not suppose to do this since the chemicals are extremely toxic and the experiment should be done by licensed 'professionals', but this basement is designed to have great ventilation so we should be fine unless you're stupid enough to breath it in directly. Besides, I've been doing this since I was five. Anyway, this is how it's suppose to work - so the gas from the ammonia in the flask..."

Jupiter carefully explained how the chrome oxide(III) will react with the ammonia gas and why it does, using the Elephant Toothpaste experiment as reference in order for Legolas to better understand how it works. Soon enough, Jupiter heated up some chrome oxide(III) on a burning spoon over a Bunsen burner, telling Legolas to turn off the lights as he did so.

Once the room was dark and the elf returned, he turned off the burner before gently easing the spoon into the flask and pouring the heated compound inside. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face when he heard the light gasp from next to him. He reacted the same way when he had first seen it, considering the fact that it was much more beautiful before your very eyes rather than looking at it in a picture or video.

Jupiter was glad that he decided to do this with Legolas. It's kind of ironic considering he needed a distraction to keep his mind off of... well, Legolas. He had even considered avoiding him for a while in hopes of these feelings fading away with time to confirm his prediction of it just being an attraction, but now he knew that it would have just made things worse. For the both of them.

In fact, the thought of being away from Legolas was something he couldn't seem to bare. Legolas pops into his lab so often now that whenever he was alone in his lab, it felt empty in a way. He use to prefer to be alone in his lab and forbade anyone from coming in, even Manny, also fearing that they'll touch something that they shouldn't have. But now, after Legolas had first came down here, he now had the passcode to the lab, and is the first and only person to come and go as they pleased. Jupiter was still wondering as to why Legolas still came down just to watch him work, which is something that anyone would find boring.

" _Elo_!" Legolas grinned, watching the numerous sparks of light floating and bouncing around within it's confinements. Jupiter had told him that they were supposed to look like fireflies, an insect that can light up and glow. Unfortunately, they were a bit rare to see from where they live but Legolas had voiced out his want to see these small creatures.

He looked over at Jupiter in order to ask if they could do this again at some point, but instead, his breath caught in his throat. The dancing glowing orbs inside the flask was the only thing illuminating the darkness around them, but more than anything else, it lit up Jupiter the most.

The light reflected on his eyes rather than his glasses and the golden color glowed mystically as they gazed at the flask with hidden awe. Legolas saw how magnificent the sight was, rivaling that of the greatest Elven Realms. At that very moment, as his eyes trailed towards his crimson hair, he came to a revelation that Jupiter was much like a rose.

Just like a rose, Jupiter has the uncanny ability to put him in a trance-like state with his beauty, not only when he looks at him, but also listen. His voice was soft, yet strong with a twinge of laziness that complimented with how laid back he was. Not only that, his words were harsh, as sharp as the thorns that roses hold on their stems.

But at times like these, where they were alone and a comfortable silence filled the air with Jupiter completely unaware of the eyes watching him intently, he felt himself melting. He felt himself melting from the heat in his chest that always seems to grow hotter every time he is near the scientist.

Legolas noticed something peculiar as his gaze took time to take in and memorize everything that it trailed over. He saw Jupiter's lips curled up in one of those rare little smiles that was very hard to catch from him, but this smile stayed on for an unnaturally long time. Jupiter's shoulders were relaxed and he had the expression of pure contentment as he watched the chemical compound react inside the flask.

The ellon wanted to scream and shout, confused as to why he had the sudden desire to make the one before him turn his head, to cup his cheek and caress it to find out if it was as soft as it looked. He desperately wanted to keep that expression on his face, to take away all of his worries and fears, to make him happy... But he wanted to give him so much more at the same time and he shouldn't feel that way about a man let alone a  _male_.

"Why do you hide, Jupiter?"

Said red head looked at Legolas, startled by his sudden question, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," He whispers softly before turning back to the flask, "You say that you are fine by yourself. That you are alright after you ended your relationship with that girl. I am not blind nor am I a fool, Jupiter. You are lonely."

Jupiter gave his eyes a small roll, "You're just seeing things. I'm not lonely, I have Manny-"

"Yes, you do. And you are doing it again, pushing me away." He shook his head slightly, "Have I ever told you that you are exactly like a rose? You try to stay strong and ward off everyone that you meet with your dreaded thorns, but in all truth, you are as delicate as any other flower. Tell me, my friend, what makes you so lonely."

"Nothing." Just as he said that one word quietly, the reaction simmered away and darkness surrounded them once again. He sighed and placed the burning spoon down on the lab table.

"You lie." Jupiter gasped lightly when a familiar pair of arms wrapped around him again, "You say you aren't lonely, yet I can see it as clear as day in your eyes that your heart yearns for something. I do not know what it is and you do not have to tell me, but if I can fill that emptiness that you feel, even only for a little while, then please tell me. I want to help you, Jupiter."

From past experience, he knew that Legolas wasn't going to let go of him anytime soon. He breathed out a sigh and accepted his fate in the embrace, leaning into it, but not returning the hug as heat creeps up his neck. "You're always so willing to help me... I don't get it. Is it because I'm helping you or... or is it because you're so disgustingly nice?"

"It's neither of those things." He said firmly, "It's because I care about you. You are my friend."

"God, you're such a fucking sap." Jupiter grumbled in annoyance, his entire face now an impressive shade of red. "You can't do anything about it, Legolas. This is something you can't fix, but don't worry so much. I'm use to it now."

"I can always try."

"Yeah, well, good luck." He gave his back a strong pat as he cleared his throat, "Alright, hugging time is over. Let go of me before this gets awkward."

Legolas chuckled and did as he was told, his smile faltering once he registered how empty and cold he felt after letting go of the other... How strange.

* * *

_He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, his own on a waist, their opposite hands clasped together. He felt warmth roll off the other, his need to be closer becoming stronger than he can handle._

_The one who held him seemed to have the same thought and pulled him closer to him, to the point where their lips were inches away from each other. The face was blurry, like it usually was, but he can still feel eyes pierce into his own._

_They were moving, dancing in a large room by themselves. He felt at peace, he felt so happy, he felt... He felt something that he couldn't quite place, but was much more important and powerful. It was so strong that it consumed his very being and he_ knew _. He just knew that whoever this person was-..._

_Like before, he saw blurry lips stretch into a warm smile before they leaned in. He followed the other's action, waiting for the kiss that was to be shared. Right before his eyes fell closed, his vision cleared_ _, but unlike before..._

_He remembers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elo!: Wow!
> 
> Sorry for the small delay today, I woke up feeling like shit and ended up taking a looong nap, but here's a long chapter for the week!
> 
> By the way, don't do the experiment in this chapter at home. It really is meant to be done only by professionals lol
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	15. XV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: You're going to hate me.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

He should have known. Deep down he knew, but he was in such denial yesterday that he didn't even consider the idea, the cold truth. But... But it's ten times worse now. Now he  _really_ knew. Were the dreams conjured up by the same thing that made his mother see what she had saw?

His heart felt as if it was being ripped out of his chest and stomped on. Why is fate so cruel? Why did that blurry face have to be his? Hell, deep down he already knew it was him... He's the only person that could be him. He gained feelings for him that were like no other and he ignored it for the most obvious reasons, but now the dream made him tired. He was tired of denying it to himself. When he's with him he just feels  _whole_ again.

His ୴ղᥴ will leave one day and it broke him. His ୴ղᥴ doesn't love him and it tore him apart. Someone who belongs literally worlds away, someone who is a completely different race and most definitely does not deserve him, is his ୴ղᥴ... and it completely and utterly destroyed him.

He smiled bitterly.

His eyes began to burn.

His hand began to sting.

Fate just enjoyed watching him slowly descend into anguish... Torturing him whenever something remotely good happens to him.

Was he in a living Hell?

* * *

Manny was the first to notice the change in Jupiter and it was terrifying her. It all started when he had made breakfast for them all like he usually did with Sam's help. Everything was fine in the beginning. She had been chatting it up with everyone at the table after Sam had told them all that the food was almost done, normal stuff right?

It was then that they came in with their breakfast did she notice his change. She had shrugged it off at first since sometimes Jupiter had random mood swings in the morning and she was a little distracted by God's greatest creation that was called food. But it was when Jupiter joined them - lately he has been keeping a close eye on her while she's eating - did she realize what was wrong. Instead of his usual smirk that easily slid onto his face was, well, a more strained smirk. Not only that... It was just... Empty.

Almost everything about him was empty and every time someone spoke to him, his answers were monotone and short. It disturbed her. It disturbed her because he was like this when he was younger and he has never done it since, not even during a certain time of the year where she most expected him to do so.

The only other person who seem to notice was Legolas. The others knew something was off, but brushed it off like she had earlier. Both Manny and Legolas were the only people who fully noticed.

It was when she followed Jupiter back into his room to get ready for school did she start the interrogation. Manny's eyes were hard and as cold as ice as she jabbed a finger into his chest, "What the heck happened?"

Jupiter looked rather surprised by her harsh demand, but quickly covered it up with a look just as cold. "Nothing happened."

"Don't give me that bullcrap!" She hissed at him, "You're bottling it all up again. I can tell, I've been by your side for how long now? You can't hide crap from me."

"I'm not bottling anything up," He rolled his eyes before making his way over to his desk, "Now stop spazzing out over nothing."

"Jupiter, I'm your best  _freaking_  friend." The declaration stopped him in his tracks, but he didn't turn around. "Don't we tell each other everything? I thought I got you to stop this... This whole thing you do when you're in pain! It's scaring me. It looks like you're not here anymore. It looks like, deep down, you want to  _die_."

The teen twitched at the last word, though not making any other move. He turned around to face her again and gave a sad smile. "Last night... Last night I found out."

"Found out what?"

"I found out who ůղ ୴ղᥴ is." He whispered and her eyes widened. It was rare for him to talk about you-know-what. It was a touchy subject and during those rare times he spoke of it, he would just wonder aloud if someone he had met at school is, but always with a hint of doubt that only she managed to hear.

"Wha-... What?" But hearing him say it with such conviction, her head felt as if she slammed it against the wall several times.

"I found him, Manny... I've been with him all this time and I should be happy. I am, but I will only be with him for so long. Be with him as only a friend and nothing more." Jupiter told her quietly before taking his bag and leaving the room quickly.

The brunette stood in the middle of the room, stunned, knowing exactly who it was.

* * *

Jupiter took a sip from the Old Fashioned glass in his hand, sitting upon the bar stool at the far end of the counter with his hood up. It was late at night and quite a few hours since school had ended for the day. He hadn't originally planned on going to the bar tonight, but after sitting in his lab with his mind too clouded to concentrate, he decided he needed something strong in his system. Quick.

His eyes drifted around the place. It wasn't that busy tonight since it was the middle of the week. There were only a couple of others at the bar counter with beer, watching sports on the TV above them and there were a few people scattered around sitting at a table. He had made sure that he went to the bar that wasn't very popular, but had good drinks.

He sighed and stared down at the light brown liquid in his glass with a few ice cubes keeping what was left chilled. Whiskey often tends to take part in his internal suffering, whether he liked it or not. He shouldn't be drinking and smoking at his age, but what's the point in caring anymore? He's going to die anyway.

Yeah, he knows he sounds dramatic, but it's true. Either by his own hand or the universe's mercy, he'll die because what's the point in living when the person he has been looking for all this time is going to leave forever, never to be seen again?

He scoffed once he realized that this was similar to when he had caught Isabelle cheating on him. Except that he was in the camp site and drunk off his ass.

The red head felt miserable. Not because he was going to die - and he's definitely not blaming his ୴ղᥴ for it - it was because he was going to lose him. Jupiter was getting so close to solving the mystery of how they got here and how to get them back, yet the solution to it all felt so far.

It wasn't unusual to find him drinking or smoking away. The unusual part is that he's doing it more often and it's only been a couple of days since he revealed to Manny what happened. Ever since, she has been softer than usual on him and was trying to get him to talk more. It was working, albeit barely.

Everyone was starting to notice his change of behavior, and the last thing he wanted was for them to worry and start asking questions. He needed to get out of his funk, even if his smirks have to be fake and his words forced at times when he doesn't want to talk at all.

"Can I get a Corona? And can you refill his drink? It's on me."

Jupiter lazily turned his head towards the person who had decided to sit next to him of all people and pay for his drink, allowing the bartender to take away his glass. He gaped when he realized that the man was someone he remembered very well, the last person he had expected to meet again after so long and the last person he  _wanted_  to meet again.

"Fancy seeing you here, Jupiter." The man said pleasantly with a friendly smile after they were both given their drinks, lowering his voice, "I didn't know the legal age to drink was changed to seventeen."

"How did you know how old I am?" The scientist asked, not bothering to hide it considering the guy paid for his whiskey.

He shrugged, "Lucky guess."

Jupiter thought that, that was the end of their small chat and muttered a thanks for the refill, taking a gulp of the burning liquid. Apparently it wasn't since the man decided to keep talking to him, "Are you okay? You don't look too hot."

The red head sighed and placed his glass down, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Okay, listen. Ethan, right? I'm just trying to enjoy my much needed whiskey, not talk about my problems in my personal life."

"I'm just concerned that's all." Ethan said calmly, unfazed by his harsh words, "If you don't want to talk about it then that's fine."

"Good, now stop talking to me."

The man completely ignores his demand. Figures. "Ouch, that hurts. Is it because of the whole asking you out on a date thing? I'll admit that it was kind of weird for me to do that when I just met you." He laughed sheepishly.

"No, it's not like you're the first person to ask me out."

"But you looked surprised when I did."

"Well, that's because you're the first  _guy_  to do it."

His coal black eyes widen slightly, "Seriously? You're kidding me."

"Nope. All girls until your ass came along."

A nervous, maybe even scared, expression flashed onto his face, "Oh... You're straight aren't you? Damn it, usually my gaydar is spot on..."

Jupiter snorted at his statement and shook his head, looking up at him properly with his signature smirk. This guy was kinda annoying, but he guesses he's just naturally an awkward kind of person that talks a lot, "I dunno. Maybe you're wrong, maybe you're right."

"...So, you  _are_  gay?"

"Dude, either way, I'm not interested."

"Gotcha. Okay. Sorry." He muttered before taking a swig of his beer, fidgeting a little. "Do you have your eyes set on someone else or...?" He asks after a moment.

"Hm... Maybe." Jupiter said cryptically before drinking more of his drink.

"So that's why you're drinking. Relationship issues."

He shrugs, "Meh."

"And let me guess, you smoke too?"

"You're unnaturally good at predicting what I do."

Ethan grinned, "What can I say? I'm a great guesser. It helps when I don't have time to study for a test in med school."

"Good for you." The scientist drank the rest of his whiskey before placing it back on the counter and standing up, placing a tip down. "I'm leaving. Bye."

Jupiter didn't wait for a reply, he simply turned around and swiftly left the bar. He immediately shivered as soon as he stepped outside and made his way towards his motorcycle in the parking lot. He took his sweet time getting there as he took out his box of cigarettes and lit one of the white sticks. Breathing out a stream of smoke into the chill air.

Ethan wasn't so bad, he thought to himself. He was kind of weird and gave him a strange feeling, but other than that he seems to be an alright guy. Jupiter had a somewhat normal conversation with him instead of completely ignoring him so that meant something. But that didn't mean he wanted to be his friend, he was still a stranger to him, or well... an acquaintance.

Jupiter's eyes widen when a hand suddenly slammed over his mouth and he was pulled tightly towards someone's body. He immediately panicked once he realized how strong his grip was, thrashing violently in his hold with a muffled shout of fury. He had no clue who this person was, but they weren't joking around and was determined to keep them in his grip even though he can feel it weaken.

Another shout of alarm escaped him when he felt a sharp prick in his neck along with a cool sensation flowing through it. An injection. They injected him with something. Again, he let loose another muffled scream and after a couple of minutes of more useless struggling, slammed his elbow back into the person behind him. He heard a grunt and was about to do the same thing again for him to let go, but much to his horror, his limbs grew limp.

First it was arms... Then his legs... And then the rest of his body. His attacker caught his body before it fell onto the ground, quickly hefting it up and dragging it towards somewhere as the edges of his vision began to blur. His head lulled back as fear pulsated through him, his eyes falling close as whatever he was injected with quickly took it's full effect.

* * *

"Jupiter, you're making me really mad and worried. This is like the tenth time I've called you, so you better answer your phone."

Everyone standing around in the living room watched Manny sigh as she hung up, pacing back and forth anxiously. "He is still not answering?" Boromir asked, seeming just as worried as his companions.

"This isn't right." She told them, "He was suppose to get back home last night, or at least until this morning. And I highly doubt that his motorcycle broke down and his phone died. He would have found a way to tell me what happened."

"Maybe we should go search for him." Sam suggested.

Legolas nodded in agreement, the expression on his face showing how determined he was to do so as well, "Yes. If it is abnormal that he has not returned by now, it is best to go search for him to see if he is alright. Do you know of his last whereabouts?"

"Um, yeah, he said he was gonna go to that bar he goes to sometimes." Manny said after thinking for a moment, "But what if he's fine? For all we know, he could have gotten so drunk that he fell asleep in the place and is probably on his way back now!"

"It doesn't hurt to make sure that the lad is safe." Gimli spoke up, "Ya never know."

The brunette contemplated what he said before nodding her head, "Okay. Alright, we can go check the bar out and ask around if he's not there. But I can't bring all of you, I'll just bring one person with me for now."

"Who will it be?" Frodo asks.

Legolas stepped forward before she could even open her mouth, "I will go."

She blinked at him surprised, "Oh. I was gonna pick you anyway since you have, y'know, almost three thousand years of experience with this kind of thing."

"It's for the best that Legolas goes out of us all." Aragorn nods, cutting off any protests that Pippin and Merry were about to make.

The elf looked at his close friend and smiled, " _Hannon le_ , Estel."

"Great, we'll be back in an hour or so. Let's go, Leggy, it's time to search for a missing planet."

"...Please do not ever call me that again."

* * *

Jupiter's eyes snapped open as soon as his consciousness returned.

A groan slipped past his lips as he sat up from where laid down, hissing as his muscles protested with the movement and his head throbbed painfully. What the actual fuck happened last night? How much did he drink to have this bad of a headache? God, if his hangover is this bad, he wonders how the hell he was able to drive back home. Maybe he was still coherent enough to call Manny to pick him up and bring him home.

His groggy mind began it's process of clearing up. Usually when he's hungover, he's fine within seconds, but it was taking an unnaturally long time for his aching head to clear and actually try to remember what happened. Another thing that was unnatural was how tired he still felt. Well, he always felt tired when he wakes up, even if it was one of those rare times when he gets a full night of sleep, but this time he felt as if he was going to fall back asleep again any second. Jupiter fought off the drowsiness with some effort and a small shake of his head.

He waited until his headache eased down into a dull throb, blinking his eyes open again to take in his surroundings. His entire figure became rigged as soon as he did and one thought ran through his mind, leaving an intense sense of dread consuming him.

This isn't his room.

It was a small, windowless room, but it was big enough for him to walk around without trouble. The bed he was sitting on was a rather nice bed, but it was small and fit only two people at most. The soft blankets are a bland white and so were the pillows. He looked around more frantically and his mind quickly identified every little detail in a matter of seconds.

The walls are painted a cobalt blue and the floor is freshly polished wood. There was also a closet in the far left corner of the room and a table with two chairs was set up at the very front of the room. To his left was an open doorway that lead to what looked like a bathroom, and at the far right corner of the room on the side wall was a hallway that lead towards who knows where. Overall, it looked like a somewhat normal bedroom. There was just one teensy-weensy problem...

He was fucking chained up.

Jupiter desperately yanked at the heavy metal wrapped around his bare ankle and cursed when it wouldn't budge. Now he was beginning to remember what the hell really happened last night. He had went to the bar and when he left, he was ambushed by somebody and drugged. Again, he cursed. Whoever it was that drugged him and brought him here - wherever 'here' was - took his hoodie, hat, and footwear, including everything he had in his pockets including his cigarettes, lighter, wallet, and phone.

This is so fucked up. Who the hell wants to kidnap him? Yeah, he's pissed off a lot of people, and he means a lot, but not enough to kidnap him without hurting him as pay back or something! Unless they brought him here to do it privately... No, who the hell would do that? He hasn't pissed someone off  _that_  much! ...Or did he?

Okay, this is not the time to think about that. He needs to calm down, carefully assess the situation, figure out what his options are, and pick one of those choices. Damn it, he needs to figure something out. Fast.

The red head jumped when there was a slam from the mysterious hallway, quickly sliding off the bed and standing up on shaky legs. He ignored the pins and needles that stabbed at his limbs as he heard the footsteps coming towards him, tense and ready for who he'll face. He didn't plan on attacking whoever it was, not yet, it was too risky and stupid since he's still weak from whatever was put into his system, but if they try something...

The stranger finally stepped out of the doorway and appeared before his extra wide eyes, instantly recognizing who it was. The person smiled brightly at the sight of him as if he weren't connected to a several foot chain in the wall, "You're awake. Good, I was starting to get a bit worried."

"Wha-..."

"Yes, I know you're confused about why you're here and what's going on. It's okay, I'll explain everything to you."

"What the- What the  _fuck_ , Ethan?!" Jupiter bursts out furiously, "I expected a lot of people to do this type of shit, but  _you_? Are you fucking with me?"

Ethan gave him a strange smile that gave him a weird shiver like before at the restaurant, "I'm completely serious. Sit down so we can talk, I have a lot to tell you."

"Um, yeah, hell no." The red head deadpanned, "Let me go, man."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small remote, "If you haven't noticed, you have a collar around your neck."

Jupiter quickly touched his neck and felt the leather wrapped around his neck, a weird plastic block connected to it as well, along with something poking a bit into his neck. He looked at him incredulously, "You put an electric collar on me."

Ethan nods, "I modified it so when set at the highest setting, it will knock you out after giving you rather... excruciating pain. Enough electrical power to kill a cat, in fact. If you try anything, I won't hesitate to press this button even though it pains me to do so."

The red head noted that bit of information down in his head as his hands clenched into fists. He was finally starting to regain some of his strength now that he was awake and moving around. "Fine," He grits out. "Now are you going to tell me why you're locking me up in here?"

"Sit." Ethan, himself, sat on the edge of the bed on Jupiter's side. The scientist crossed his arms and rose an unimpressed brow when he patted the empty spot next to him, "Or don't. That's fine too, I guess."

Jupiter watched as his kidnapper took a deep breath, folding his hands on his lap while he gathered his thoughts, "How do I put this... Maybe I should start by saying that when you had met me for the first time at the restaurant, I had known who you were long before that." Ethan locks his gaze with his, "The first time I had seen you, it was at the mall nearly a year ago. I still remember it like it was yesterday... I was never expecting anything special that day, I was just buying some nice clothes for a job interview I had in a week, but then I saw you..."

The red head took a step back, startled by how his already dark eyes dulled even more and uneasiness washed over him as the man smiled warmly at him, "The moment I did, I couldn't stop looking at you. You were so beautiful and something told me that you were special, and you are. I couldn't help myself after that. I followed you, found out where you go to school at, where you work at, who you are... I did everything in my power to make sure that you were alright and I watched you from afar. The first time that we officially met was when I got the courage to talk to you. What I asked of you was very stupid and embarrassing, I know, but I couldn't help myself! I was really sad when you said no, but then I figured out a different way... A different way for you to fall in love with me like I had with you. That's why I brought you here!"

Ethan stood up with the brightest smile he has ever worn and stepped closer to him, causing the other to take another step back with a flabbergasted expression on his face as he listened to his monologue, "You never took a second glance in my direction, because of everyone that was in the way. Like that friend of your's and that slut you were dating..." Too quick for him to react, Jupiter's hands were encased in his, "No one will be in the way anymore. Now we can be together like it was suppose to be! I'll take care of you, love you, protect you..."

Jupiter ripped his hands out of his grip and took a few more huge steps away from him, laughing coldly as he said with an unconvinced tone, "What kind of yandere type of shit is this? You've been stalking me for almost a  _year_  now?! Do you really think by holding me captive, I'm just going to fall in love with you? Not only that, you're a huge hypocrite. 'Protect me',  _my fucking ass_." He growls out as he points at the dog collar that was not budging from his neck any time soon, also locked like the shackle on his ankle.

"It's necessary." Ethan, again, said all too calmly, "I knew you were not going to cooperate at first... I hate to go this far with it, but once I think you're ready, I'll take it off. But don't forget, I still have more of those injections."

"Fuck.  _You_."

The man ruffled his ebony hair with a sigh, ignoring the murderous tone in his voice, "I'll give you some time to process everything and cool down. Don't worry, soon you will start to like it here."

Jupiter can only watch with barely restrained fury as he walked back into the hallway, his steps fading away until their was an echo of a door slamming. "He's mental. He's fucking  _insane_." He told himself before releasing a frustrated cry, "Fuck!"

He nearly punched the wall to vent out his built up anger, but thought better of it. This was not the time to get angry, that was the last thing he needed to do right now. He was kidnapped by a dude that had apparently fallen in love with him the second he saw him and stalked him for nearly a year. Jupiter didn't know what the creep was planning in order to give him an extreme case of Stockholm Syndrome, but he wasn't letting him get to his goal. No...

Ethan had no idea what kind of plans were already brewing in Jupiter's head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Don't hurt me. ;-;
> 
> Hannon le.: Thank you.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	16. XVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Okay, we're here." Manny told her elf companion as she pulled into the bar parking lot. She parks the car and the both of step out of it to head straight to the bar that was barely just open for that night.

The brunette stepped inside of the place with Legolas close behind her and scrunched up her nose in disgust. She never liked the smell - or taste - of alcohol, it was just... gross. And it burned. She has no idea why Jupiter liked it so much and he was two years younger than her. Oh, you thought Manny was younger than him? Well, if you did, you thought wrong.

Manny went up to the bar counter with confident steps. This was her first time in a place like this and she would have been a little anxious about it since she technically wasn't allowed in there, but that was the last thing on her mind right now since she was on a hunt to find her hotheaded best friend. She stops in front of the counter where the bartender was cleaning glasses with a white cloth behind it, "Excuse me?"

He looked up and gave them both a welcoming smile, "Hello, how may I help you?"

"We were just wondering if you saw our friend here last night. He has super red hair and these big, stupid hipster glasses, oh, and the last time I saw him he looked grumpy."

"Actually, I have seen someone exactly like that." The man said, pausing in cleaning the glasses.

"Can you tell us where he had gone?" Legolas spoke up, "He did not return as he had promised and we fear that something may have happened to him."

"He left after a couple of drinks and that's it."

"Are you sure?" Manny placed her hands on the counter, "Did anything weird happen? Anything at all?"

"Well..." His brows furrow in thought, "After a while, some guy sat next to him and paid for his drink. I think they knew each other, but your friend didn't seem too excited to see him, unless that's how he always acts."

"It depends." She said, sighing as her heart raced with worry, "Are you allowed to show us the security tapes from last night?"

"I wish I could, but I'm not allowed. I had my eyes on them pretty much the whole time, your friend left soon after and then the guy left too after finishing his beer."

"What did he look like?"

"Um... He had black hair, slicked back. Stubble on his chin, really dark eyes, and he seemed like a nice person, but he kind of gave me the creeps." The bartender admitted at the end, then muttering, "Listen, I have a weird feeling about him. I can sneak a picture of him from the security footage, but that's it. I'll Airdrop it to you, but delete it once you're finished with it."

The both of them felt relief wash over both of them, "Thank you so much." Manny breathed, "We're going to take a look outside, so take your time."

"Gotcha." He gave a nod before casually putting away the cloth and slipping through a door in the back.

Legolas was the first to move and the both of them swiftly left the bar in order to investigate outside. What they had gathered so far by one person was a lot and a little concerning. First, everything had seem fine for Jupiter and then all of a sudden this random guy bought him a drink before he started talking to him. Then after Jupiter left, he did as well. And to top it all off, even the bartender was suspicious of him and was going as far as to break the rules just so he can help them with a potential cause of his disappearance.

"Alright, let's start on the right side of the parking lot and split from there to see if we find anything. The last place he was seen going to was outside, right?" The elf agreed with a short nod and they immediately began walking around, hoping to find something there in the half full parking lot. It didn't help that the bar had to share it's lot with a restaurant connected to it, which makes it harder to investigate.

Manny wasn't finding anything so far, which she wasn't surprised about at all. Legolas was still determined to find something, his sharp eyes scanning every little detail it landed on with his lips pressed into a thin line. She sighed, her frustration clear as day as she spun around to go join the elf again and look at the left side of the parking lot, but yelped when she nearly crashed into a vehicle.

Her eyes widen as soon as she registered what vehicle it was. Or more importantly,  _who's_. "Legolas! Get your butt over here!" She shouted urgently.

In seconds, the elf was at her side with his mouth open to ask what was wrong, but it immediately shut when he followed the woman's gaze. "Is that?..."

"It is. Oh crap, it's definitely is. It has the same key marks from when he pissed off a girl he was flirting with."

"If this is here then..." Legolas's eyes widen, "Where did he go?"

"Maybe he went to a store or something. Or maybe he went to some other place nearby and passed out, I don't know! I just hope it has nothing to do with that guy the bartender was talking about."

Mirkwood's prince looked around them as she continued, "We should go see if he got the picture or not. It's about time we start heading home so we can tell the others what we found."

Legolas knelt down on the ground, his eyes locked onto an object, "Lady Manny... Look."

She looks down at him and turns her gaze to what he picked up off the ground, "That's a cigarette. You usually find those everywhere outside."

"Yes, I know, but it has the same writing on it that Jupiter uses. It's also bitten at the end, which is also something that he does to keep it in his mouth." His breath hitches, heart nearly stopping when his gaze drifts away from it, "And if I'm not mistaken..."

He reached underneath the vehicle that was parked beside the motorcycle and retrieved a very familiar phone with a marble case. Manny slapped a hand over her mouth as she gasped shakily, "I-Is that... Is that blood?"

* * *

Jupiter touched his forehead lightly where a piece of gauze was taped, a slight sting itching from underneath it. His head must have gotten cut after he had passed out and from the dampness he felt from the gauze, it must have been a bad one. It has been a couple of hours since Ethan left, which was enough time for him to cool down and start thinking straight.

He had explored the room he was in, well as much as he could considering the fact that a chain was attached to him. It was obvious that Ethan had planned this whole thing very carefully, from baby-proofing the entire room to the actual kidnapping. But everything had a weak spot, no matter how safe it looked. He huffed and went to the last place that he can reach in the room, which was the closet.

Even the closet was 'baby-proofed', instead of there being a regular closet, there was a zipper closet. He eyed the cloth and structure of it, briefly wondering if he could do anything with it before giving a shrug of his shoulders. The red head unzipped the wardrobe and opened it to eye the items that were inside. Much to his relief, his hat was inside and that was the first thing that he grabbed for to put on his head backwards. He wished he had his hoodie too, but his hat would be enough for some comfort.

Jupiter filed through the clothes hung up on plastic hangers with dull interest. They mostly consisted of t-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, a tuxedo, more shirts- Wait, a tuxedo? He hurriedly went back to the suit that was in a dry-cleaning plastic cover and stared at it in the utmost confusion. Why the hell was there a tuxedo in here? You know what, he doesn't want to know.

The sound of the door slamming shut made him jump as he snapped his head towards the hallway. With a quiet curse, he zipped the closet back up and backed up towards the back of the room where the chain was connected to on the wall.

Ethan met his withering glare steadily, a rather unsettling pleasant smile spreading across his face, "Good, you're still awake. I made dinner." He lifted his hands up, which held two paper plates filled with steaming food. "I thought that we could eat together... Officially as a couple."

"I'm not your boyfriend." Jupiter spat out, having been silent until now.

The man paused in setting up the table, his coal black eyes slowly shifting back over to his tense form, "You're right. You're not... You are so much more than that."

...Oh, for fuck's sake.

"Come on, take a seat." Ethan said excitedly after setting down plastic forks and knives, pulling out a chair for him to sit in.

Jupiter rose an unimpressed brow at him, crossing his arms. There was no way in hell he was eating with this creep- aaand he's giving him a look that promised him that if he didn't sit his ass down on the chair he was going to be electrocuted. Reluctantly, he walked towards him and plopped himself on the chair, feeling it being pushed in a bit before Ethan went back to the other side of the table and sat in his own chair.

With his arms still crossed, he stared down at the food before him and his stomach growled much to his displeasure. On the paper plate was grilled chicken beautifully sliced on top of a bed of brown rice mixed with finely chopped pepper, and a side of arugula that's drizzled with a dressing. Admittedly, it looked very appetizing, but that didn't mean he was going to eat it.

"I have been learning how to cook for a while now. It was hard to do since I had to juggle that and med school, but it was worth it knowing that I'm feeding you something that I cooked." Ethan said after taking a bite from his own plate. He looked up and furrowed his brows in genuine confusion when he saw that Jupiter wasn't even touching his food, "You're not eating?"

"How do I know that you didn't put anything in it?" Jupiter questioned him suspiciously. If he had to starve himself to avoid getting anything else in his system that would affect negatively, he damn sure will.

Ethan breathed out a deep sigh and reached over to his plate with his fork, stabbing into a piece of chicken, arugula, and some rice before eating it. "See? I put nothing in it. I just want you to eat. If I wanted to hurt you or kill you, I would have done that a long time ago and I wouldn't even be feeding you right now."

He had said that last sentence so casually and easily, that for a second, Jupiter wondered if he had done either one of those things - or both - to get to where he was right now. The idea made him nervous, but nonetheless, Ethan proved that he had done nothing to it. Even though he was still suspicious, he finally gave in and picked up the fork to start eating.

Jupiter didn't realize just how hungry he was until he had finished the chicken and arugula salad, picking at the rice. "I see you've found your hat."

Glancing up, he saw Ethan staring at him with that same unsettling smile, his food barely touched. He grunted in response to his statement, not exactly in the mood to have a casual conversation with his kidnapper. The kidnapper, himself, realized this and cleared his throat awkwardly, "Um... I saw a tattoo on your foot. It's the structural formula of a chemical compound, right? I have classes for chemistry, but I never figured out what it is."

"None of your business." He muttered dryly before eating several grains of rice off of his fork.

"How about this..." Ethan placed his fork down, "When I ask you a question, I answer one of your's. Deal?"

Jupiter paused, now interested, stopped picking at what was left on his plate and brought his attention back to the man in front of him. He thought for a long moment before nodding his head and pushing the plate away from him.

Ethan relaxed, relieved that he agreed. "I'll go first, what is the chemical compound?"

"I don't know, I saw it on Google and thought it looked cool." He lied easily, "How long have I been here?"

"Not long. You were asleep for a long time, so you woke up during the afternoon. It's six right now."

Jupiter nodded slowly, glad that he wasn't knocked out for longer than that, which he was fully expecting. Now, all he had to do was keep his stay here as short as possible. "Why did you and that...  _girl_ , break up?"

"Caught her fucking her stepbrother at a party. What do you plan on doing to me?"

If the answer or question surprised Ethan, he didn't show it, although he remained silent for a minute to think about his answer. "I plan on making you happy."

"Happy?" Jupiter repeated, barking out a disbelieving laugh, "So you think kidnapping me is suppose to make me happy?"

"What else was I suppose to do?" He snapped at his captive all of a sudden, frustration clear in his voice, "You never noticed me whenever I was around you, and when you did when I spoke to you, you rejected me. How else was I suppose to make you mine like it's meant to be?!"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Jupiter stood from his seat, slapping his hands onto the table, "I'm not that much of an optimist, I'm not, but I know for damn sure that whatever shit you imagined was going to happen after all of this, will  _never_  happen."

"How would you know? For the first time in my whole life, I felt something. When I saw you, I knew that you're suppose to be mine and mine alone!"

"Well, guess what, Ethan," He hissed. "I'm not your's and I never will be, so you can go fuck yourself."

Ethan shot up from his seat with shaky fists clenched at his sides. Jupiter watched him, unafraid of his angered expression as he began gathering up the plates and utensils along with the empty cups. "You'll start loving me. I know you will."

"I will  _never_  love you."

"You've had a long day." Ethan said shakily, ignoring his hateful statement, "You should go to sleep early and get some rest. You're... you're not thinking clearly. Yes, we're both not thinking clearly. Yes, yes... I should go to bed too, good night, Jupiter." He then rushed back into the hallway, the door slamming close not too long afterwards.

Jupiter sighed in relief as soon as it closed and lifted up his hand from the table to reveal the plastic fork that he had hidden carefully underneath it. He picked it up, going over to the bed and sitting on top of it as he eyed the seemingly useless piece of plastic. He can work with this. He can definitely work with this... Hopefully he had riled Ethan up enough so that he doesn't notice a missing fork as he throws everything out.

* * *

"Okay, people, I got some good news and bad news. Mostly bad. Very, very bad."

Manny and Legolas had just returned to the house after retrieving the picture from the bartender and asking a few more questions before going back to the car. The elf had feared for his life the entire way back due to the fact that the woman was driving much faster than she was suppose to, but he was also much more worried about the reason she was doing so. Now the both of them stood with everyone else in the living room.

"What is it then?" Gimli questioned impatiently, "Tell us what ya found!"

"Okay, okay, we found Jupiter's car, but no Jupiter."

Legolas revealed the phone stained with droplets of blood, his eyes flashing darkly upon seeing it again, "And his phone. We can only assume that he has been attacked, perhaps taken in the process."

The hobbits paled when they saw the dried blood, "Is that his blood?" Sam whispered.

"Yeah, we think so. We asked someone who had seen him questions and apparently Jupiter was talking to someone right before he went outside where he was possibly attacked." Manny explained and took out her phone to pull up a picture, "We think this person is linked to his disappearance. He might know what happened to him or is actually the one that did something to him."

They all gathered around to take a look at the picture of the man sitting next to the hooded figure that was obviously Jupiter, "We must hunt this man down!" Boromir bursts suddenly.

"No, we can't do anything rash here." She stated firmly, "I haven't even said the good news. I know this guy."

"Who is he?" Aragorn asked.

"His name is Ethan. He's the brother of some guy in Jupiter's math class that picks him up from school sometimes. I think I've seen him a few times at the restaurant that Jupiter works in." Manny's face then twisted a scowl, "And I know only one person who knows his brother's number."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Merry shouts, "Let us go find them!"

Legolas shook his head firmly down at the halfling, "No, there are too many of you. We must not draw too much attention to ourselves."

The girl beside him nods in agreement, "Exactly. That's why I'm gonna bring Aragorn with us since both he and Legolas have the most experience in this type of stuff." She turns to the others, "No offense."

"But Manny, I'm not going to let you walk straight into danger if there is any." Frodo spoke up, having been silent until now, "I do not want you to get hurt."

Her heart warmed when he stepped forward to take her hand in his, holding it tight. She breathed out a sigh at the sight of his determined stare. He was not going to let this go easily. She placed her other hand over his and told him gently, "I know, but Aragorn and Legolas will be there to make sure I'm fine. Plus, Jupiter taught me a few things so I know how to defend myself... mostly."

"Mister Frodo, let her go. Right now, we can't help." Sam said from behind him, "They will come back."

Manny gently pried his hand off of her's when his grip loosened. She hesitated for a moment before giving the hobbit a peck on his cheek, straightening afterwards as she cleared her throat. She looked at the elf and man, "Let's go, you two."

* * *

Jupiter stared up at the ceiling while he laid on the bed, gnawing on the fork that he had stolen. He didn't want to go to sleep. Even if he did, he would be unable to since he's - oh, he doesn't know -  _held captive by a dude that was obsessed with him_.

He hated to say it, let alone think it, but not only was he starting to miss Manny, he was starting to miss the Fellowship. What use to be a house that was constantly filled with silence and occasionally blasted with heavy metal, was now a lively home of unique people that he never dreamed of meeting. Being consumed in the silence of this room, he began to miss the hobbits talking and goofing around, even occasionally singing and dancing, the men speaking to each other with a noticeable mutual respect for each other, the dwarf laughing boisterously at the hobbits' antics, and the elf...

Oh god, the elf.

What he hated even more was when an unrestrained whimper left him at the very thought of being so far from him. Even if it's been only a day, he missed him so damn much. He wanted to see that dorky little smile he sees every time they talk, hear his captivating laugh, to be with  _him_. Jupiter's heart sank deeper and deeper as he came to the revelation that he might not leave here for days. Maybe  _weeks_. Maybe - God forbid - ever. If he wanted to see Legolas and everyone again, he was going to need to find a way out, but...

He had absolutely no plan whatsoever. Usually he would have one by now considering he had to think up of strategies five seconds before he gets into a fight. The only things he has right now are his brain and a fork. The only things that were really keeping him in this room was the shackle, the collar, and Ethan. So first things first, he needs to find out how to get rid of the shackle and the rewired collar.

Pausing, he took the plastic utensil out of his mouth - or what was left of it. The top part had been ripped off and all was left was a plastic stick with a pointed end. Jupiter quickly sat up and brought up his ankle with the shackle onto his other thigh. He took a hold of the large padlock and shoved the sharp end of the plastic into it. He wiggled it around, "Come on, come on..." He muttered.

Jupiter began to lose hope after several minutes of desperate wiggling, but just as he was going to give up on the damned thing, a click echoed in the room. It was like he had heard the sound of angels playing their harps and singing hymns for the first time. He gaped at the unlocked padlock and let out a breathless laugh of relief.

The red head quickly shoved off the metal cuff wrapped around his ankle, not even wincing at the loud clang it created upon impact with the ground. He massaged his ankle a little to relieve some of the chafing it had dealt from the shackle. As soon as it was feeling a little better he stood up and turned around to stare at the hallway that lead to his freedom. He could leave this room so easily and he would be home free.

Though extremely tempting, he knew that would be the stupidest mistake that he can make. He still needed to get rid of the collar before he attempted to leave. Taking a deep breath, his bare feet quickly padded across the floor towards the only place inside the room he was unable to reach with his earlier restraints. The bathroom. And the first thing he did once he was in there was actually use it since he's gone a full night and day without relieving himself.

Afterwards, he looked around him carefully. It was obvious that everything was just installed in there and that brought back the perturbing feeling from before. Ethan was definitely planning for him to stay here for a very long time. Too bad that definitely was not going to happen.

He found a mirror above the sink and stared at himself through the reflection. He winced at his roughed up appearance, a dirty smudge on his cheek along with a couple of scabbed over cuts next to the bandage on his forehead. Retrieving the plastic stick he looked between it and the small padlock on the collar with an angered expression. It was too big for him to unlock it like he had with the other one. He needs something thinner and sturdier to do the trick...

...Or maybe he doesn't have to unlock it at all? Maybe he could tinker on the device inside to completely get rid of the electric shock that's suppose to be sent? If he made the plastic pointier, he could probably unscrew the screws with it. Jupiter looked down at the plastic in distaste, he still needed to keep gnawing on it until it was as pointy as it can be. But it'll have to wait until tomorrow. He's going to need all of the sleep that he can get...

* * *

"If you don't mind me asking..." Aragorn said as they approached the door of a rather large house, "Who's home is this?"

The only girl in the trio snorted at his question as they stopped, "You're about to find out." She pressed the button next to the door frame and their was the faint chime of a bell along with a dog barking within the confines of the house, alerting the entire house of it's visitors.

It didn't take long for them to hear someone shooing away the dog before a woman with dirty blonde hair pulled into a ponytail to unlock the door and swing it open. She smiled kindly at the three of them, drying off her hands with a towel, "Hello, how are y'all on this fine day?" She said with a soft southern accent, her face lighting up along with recognition when she locked eyes with the brunette, "Oh, I can never forget that cute face! You're Jupiter's friend, Manny, right? Come in, come in, you two fine gentlemen too, a friend of Manny's is a friend of mine!"

They were quickly ushered into the house and were overwhelmed by the size of the inside compared to the outside. Manny blinked at the woman in front of her, "You're not-"

"Mad? Oh Lord, no, of course not! You had absolutely nothing to do with it, heck, I ain't even mad at that poor boy. Speaking of him, how is he?"

"He's... doing alright. Um, I actually wanted to... er..."

The woman rose an eyebrow, "Talk to her? Are you sure? She's in one of her little moods right now."

"Yeah, I'm sure, she has something that I need. Leg- Er, Lance and, uh, Ah-.. Anthony! How about you keep her company while I talk to Isabelle?" Manny suggested.

Their eyebrows rose to their hairlines, " _Isabelle_?" Legolas repeated incredulously.

"You two are so nice, okayseeyoulaterbye!"

The woman called out after her to remind her where her room was before turning to the young men in front of her. She draped the hand towel over her shoulder and placed one of her hands on her hips, "So you two are friends with Manny and Jupiter?"

"Yes," The elf nods, "It's a pleasure to meet you..."

"Just call me Hellen, sweethearts. C'mon, while y'all wait for her, we can chat while helping with dinner."

Legolas and Aragorn exchanged looks before following after the woman to a different room to which they found out was a kitchen... A very big kitchen. It was fitting for a big house.

Meanwhile, Manny was in front of a door that she vaguely remembers a long time ago when Jupiter tried to get her and Isabelle to get along. Long story short, his plan failed and now the two girls hated each other with a strong passion. She was hoping to never come back to this door ever again, but of course her best friend had to get into some deep crap and make her go to places that she rather go vegan than go to.

She faintly heard music seeping through the cracks of the door along with giggling that made her roll her eyes. Balling her hand up in a fist, she knocked on the door with her knuckles and waited impatiently for someone to answer. Annoyance flared up in her when she heard more giggling along with the music getting louder and she knocked again, this time louder.

"Go away, mom!" Manny heard the girl in the room snap, "I'm busy!"

Having enough of standing there and waiting for no one to open the door, she grasped the door knob and twisted it. Surprisingly, it was unlocked and she swung the door open. Manny's face paled at the sight before her and slapped her hands over her eyes as soon as she realized what she was looking at, "Oh my God-  _My eyes!_ "

The two forms partially hidden underneath the blankets scrambled off of each other, and the blonde girl that had been beneath her partner pulled the edge of the sheets up to her chin in order to cover her bare chest. Isabelle glared heatedly at her, "What the fuck are  _you_  doing here?"

With her back still facing them, she answered, "I'm here because I need to talk to you, so can you both give my now impure eyes a break and put some clothes on?"

"No, get out! I don't need your fat-ass barging into my room. I can't believe that woman let you in the house!"

Manny wasn't even surprised by her demands as she took out her phone, "Either put your clothes on and answer some questions, or I tell everybody of your borderline incestuous relationship with Ray."

Ray sat up straighter on the bed and scoffed, running his fingers through his already ruffled mess of curls, "As if anyone is going to believe someone like you."

"Oh, really?" Before either of them could blink, the brunette spun around and snapped a picture of the both of them. Their eyes widen as Manny examined the picture she had taken and rose her eyebrows, "Nice touch on the hickeys, Ray. It pretty much solidifies what's going on in the picture."

"Delete that right now." Isabelle demanded, looking ready to get out of bed to break both her phone and her face, "Or I'll... I'll!-"

"What? Get your cheerleader squad to jump me? I dare you. I can post this on Jupiter's Instagram right now if you don't put your clothes on and answer a few questions. You're already wasting my time and I don't want to be in the same room with you two as much as you do."

Manny felt pleased by the fear that appeared on their faces, "What do you want?" Ray hissed.

"I need the number of that guy that has been secretly tutoring you." She told them and proceeded to roll her eyes at how the blonde girl's eyes widen, "Don't look so surprised. I saw the both of you at the library when I was bringing back the books Jupiter borrowed from there."

"...Jupiter goes to the library?"

The brunette groaned dramatically, "We are  _not_  going to go through an explanation about why Jupiter goes to the library, just give me the damn number."

"Okay, okay." She muttered grumpily as she grabbed her phone from her nightstand and tapped on the screen, "Why do you need it anyway? Have a little crush on him or something?"

Ray snorted, "Too bad he's a fag."

Manny shot a sharp glare at him, "Say one more homophobic thing and I'll shove this phone straight up your ass after posting the picture." After seeing him raise his hands up defensively, muttering a 'Just kidding, sheesh...', she turned to Isabelle, "And it's none of your business."

Isabelle gave her a quick knowing look, "It has to do with Jupiter, doesn't it? Whatever, I sent it. Now get out of my damn room and delete that picture."

"Yeah, yeah, see?" She showed her phone, "Deleted. Now bye." She turned to the door and opened it, already about to exit the room fully, but was struck with an idea. Manny looked over her shoulder at them with a smirk that the two step-siblings can only compare to Jupiter's when he's up to something, "Oh... And you're both lucky I didn't punish the both of you physically." With that said, she slam the door closed and sprinted down the stairs.

Manny quickly reached the end of them and made a b-line to where she heard talking, which ended up being the kitchen. She would have laughed at the sight of the man and elf chopping vegetables with Hellen ranting with her usual sass about her husband, but she was too busy panicking when she heard the door slam close upstairs again. "Hey, Hellen! We really, really need to go so Le- Lance and Anthony, please put your fabulous buttocks into gear. Thank you for taking care of these two, by the way, did you know that Isabelle cheated on Jupiter with Ray? Yeah, I sent you a picture a few seconds ago and now the both of them are probably coming to kill me right now when in reality you're the one who's going to kill them, okaygottagoloveyabye!" She rambled in record speed before grabbing the two of them and leaving behind a stunned woman.

Just as the siblings came downstairs fully clothed, the trio were out the doors and heard a very loud-

" _Isabelle and Ryan_ _Giovanni! Come over here_ right _now you fu-_ "

"Ignore her. It's all according to plan. It's your fault that you said violence wasn't the answer. Ignore the cussing and promises of butt whoopings. You hear nothing."

* * *

Legolas was undeniably, positively, an absolute wreck.

It may not have appeared as such, and so far no one has noticed the shift that he felt, but it was true. At first it had only been a shimmer of worry that went through him, all the way from remaining awake through the night and to Manny exclaiming later the next day that Jupiter should have came home by then. He had desperately hoped that what she had said was right, that he was safe and passed out from the alcohol instead of hurt.

Though, luck wasn't on any of their sides. After much searching, his blood had ran cold when he found the foreign device that Jupiter tended to fiddle with a lot when he was especially bored, and to communicate with others. The very first thing he noticed was the dry blood and it was simple to connect the dots with the barely finished cigarette that he recognized to be his as well.

For the first time since their escape from Mordor, he felt fear claw at him from within and panic began to settle in as it immediately sunk in that Jupiter was indeed in trouble. Anger had quickly interlaced with it on their way back to the house, the urge to find whoever had done this and unleash no mercy upon them overpowering everything else easily. Legolas then realized just how protective he was towards Jupiter.

He supposes it started when he had witnessed the... confrontation between Jupiter and Isabelle. The pure sadness and loneliness that were in his eyes physically pained him, but before he had even the chance to approach him, Manny had swooped in to comfort him with ease. It wasn't until he had found Jupiter outside and spoke with him did he swore to protect him as best as he could... Without even realizing that he made such a promise.

It was strange. Legolas was protective of all of his friends. Estel, Frodo, Manny, everyone, even Gimli - though he would never admit that he cared at least a little about the dwarf. It's Jupiter, though, that was so very peculiar and hard to understand. Unlike everyone else he has met throughout his life, Jupiter did not care what he said and did in front of him. He freely spoke his mind and cursed more than he has ever heard anyone curse, and it made him... envious.

It made him wonder how he can do it so easily. Throughout his long life, Legolas had learned everything that was needed to be taught to be a prince. From posture, to how to speak to others, to choosing his words wisely, and so on and so forth. And now that he was no longer around his father or any other elf, he still can not bring the courage to speak his absolute mind to his friends due to the very fact that all of these lessons are drilled into his mind.

Even so, he still thought highly of Jupiter being able to speak his mind without a care in the world, unafraid of the consequences of his words. Oh, it has only been a day and a half without him, yet he already misses his voice. He missed how Jupiter absentmindedly explained what he was doing while he did his work in the lab, his strange accent interlacing his voice. He missed the lessons that Jupiter gave him, showing him the wonders of science and chemistry by doing experiments, simply  _talking_  to him...

Legolas's hand reached up and grasped some of the fabric of his shirt at his chest tightly, his brows furrowing in wonder. Whenever he thought about Jupiter, there was a strange energy that flowed through him with a tingling sensation that went straight into his heart, educing a noticeable acceleration of it's beating. Having never felt this strong...  _warmth_  for someone before, he can only label it as a powerful happiness. Yet, happiness does not fit this feeling. It ran deeper, much deeper than he really is aware of, and the closest thing he can make of it is that of passion. It was a strong passion that Legolas had for Jupiter, but what  _exactly_  was this passion?

The answer to that question... He fears to know. Even if he can't quite identify what all of it is, he knows that he should not feel this way for Jupiter. His mind told him it was dangerous and not right to feel this way, yet where the passion lies, it curses and shouts at those thoughts with such denial that his reasoning began to waver.

Legolas breathed out a shaky sigh. This was not the time to think about this. He looked up as he let go of his shirt from where he sat with the others in the living room, listening carefully to Manny as she explained how she called the brother of the man who is suspected of harming Jupiter - Ethan, a voice in the back of his mind growled out darkly - and when what they all had suspected is in fact correct, they will arrive at the house whilst Ethan is gone for classes.

He stood and walked straight towards the hall that lead to the infamous door only he and Jupiter had access to once Manny voiced out that she was finished, telling everyone to go to sleep early for the day. Legolas shut the door behind him and went down the stairs before entering the spotless lab while flicking the lights on.

A light chuckle unwillingly left him at the sight of the chair that he had claimed as his to sit on when he came down here, remaining where it was in front of the blackboards. It was much too quiet in here without Jupiter... Tomorrow he will bring him back. No matter what it takes, he will bring Jupiter back and face that man who took away his beloved friend.

The energy that went through his entire being became a searing heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	17. XVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Ethan walked through the long hallway with a tray in his hands, his heartbeat picking up in speed with every step he took. For so long he had waited for this day. To be able to wake his love up from a long night of sleep and surprise him with a big warm breakfast. It took a lot of planning, thinking two steps ahead, getting the materials he needed without drawing too much attention, and much, much more. It was all so worth it.

Entering the room, he placed the tray on the table and turned to Jupiter's sleeping form. His smile widened as he trailed his dark eyes over his still body. Licking his lips and clenching his hands into fists as he held back his desperate need, he approached him as quietly as he could in order to not accidentally wake him. He did not want him awake just yet.

The man stood there at the side of his bed, watching Jupiter's chest rise and fall from where he laid on his side. He reached down to touch him, to feel his skin against his. Just a small touch won't hurt, right? He has been patient for so long, so he can at least touch him, but as he reached down to touch him, Jupiter's mouth opened and said, "Don't touch me." Without even opening his eyes.

Ethan smiled, pulling his hand back reluctantly, "Good morning, Jupiter."

The younger of the two said nothing as he pushed himself up on the bed and rubbed his eye beneath his glasses. It probably wasn't the best idea to sleep with them on, but his fatigue was something he was more worried about. The lack of sleep was blatantly obvious due to the dark circles beneath his eyes. "What do you want?" He spat.

"I made you breakfast." Ethan told him softly, still unaffected by his anger and disgust towards him. What pissed Jupiter off, even more, was the pitying look he gave him as if he shouldn't be feeling this way about him. Silently, he motioned him to move away from him in order to stand when Ethan stepped back. With a yawn, he dragged his feet towards the table, the annoying scraping of metal chains on the floor following after him.

Ethan's eyes trailed down as he walked past him, but quickly snapped them back up when Jupiter sat down. He was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Jupiter was starting to accept his new home. Of course, there will be a lot more struggling, but it made the man happy, excited even - in more ways than one.

"I hope you like pancakes." Ethan said as he sat down across from him, "They're chocolate chip and I chopped up some fruit as a side so it can be a little healthier."

Jupiter said nothing. He only picked up the plastic fork and tended to his growling stomach. As Ethan watched him eat like he had yesterday with that same unsettling love-struck expression, a sensation of sharp claws scratched in his stomach. He wasn't sure what was causing it, but it was something that his own mind didn't want to reveal.

"How is it?" Ethan asked when he caught his eye. Jupiter only shrugged, finishing a quarter of the meal before placing his fork down to indicate that he was finished. He was still extremely hungry, but he had lost his appetite. "You know, I have to thank you."

The scientist furrowed his brows, "For what?"

"Helping my little brother. He's in your class, he told me that he was studying in the park since he needed a change of scenery, and some guy and his friends started to mess with him. Then you came along and stopped them."

"Oh... That kid."

"Yeah, he wanted to say thank you, but he never got the chance."

Jupiter's gold eyes darken, "He knows I'm here?"

"No, no, no. Of course he doesn't."

He nods and sighs, "I need to use the bathroom."

Ethan's small smile dropped and he too sighed. The man knew that this was going to happen at some point. The first time he'll remove his chains. He motioned for Jupiter to stand as he lifted himself off his chair. The scientist watched as he pulled out the remote from his pocket and held it up in silent warning. He cautiously stood up and watched as he pulled something out of his other pocket. A key. He tossed it onto the table and nodded towards his shackle, "Unlock it, place the key down, and go to the bathroom. Try anything and you know what will happen."

Ethan watched him like a hawk as he took the key and bent down to unlock it before fully removing it. Jupiter slowly went around the table and towards the door with his captor close behind. Chancing a glance behind him, he caught a glimpse of the hand that was holding the remote. It was shaking. Turning back, he stepped inside the bathroom and spun around when the door slams closed behind him along with the sound of a key locking the door. "Just in case," He said. "Knock when you're finished."

Jupiter heard him walk away from the door and he let out a shaky breath. He took another deep breath before doing his business quickly and then washing his hands. He looked at himself in the mirror, reaching up to take off the bandage taped to his forehead and was relieved to find that the cut was closed, beginning to scab over. He tossed it into the trash before washing his face and brushing his teeth with the toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste that sat in a plastic cup for him to use, not even bothering to look around the bathroom again.

It didn't take long before he approached the door. He internally groaned. He didn't want to be around this insane creep anymore. Actually, he was tempted to make a run for it, but then he'll be electrocuted. Jupiter reassured himself that he'll get out of there and go back home to everyone if he carefully got through with his half-assed plans. Curling up his hand into a fist, he knocked his knuckles onto the door.

There was a long moment of silence before the lock jiggled and the door swung open. Again, he felt unsettled when he was immediately met with the other's gaze. Ethan's face remained blank, his hand still clutching the remote, "Come on out."

He ran his fingers through his ruffled hair, suddenly missing his hat that he had taken off before going to sleep. After a moment, he stepped out of the bathroom and Ethan told him to go back to the table and put the shackle back on with the key, which he did after shooting him a nasty glare.

Once he had finished, Jupiter looked up and he narrowed his eyes at the sight of Ethan not putting away the remote. "What are you doing?" He questioned suspiciously as the man took a step towards him, provoking him to take a step back in turn.

"Jupiter," Ethan drawled out his name with a warning tone as if he were a child, "Are you hiding something from me?"

"What do you mean?" He crossed his arms, remaining composed, but on the inside he was panicking a little.

"Yes or no. Are you hiding something from me? Don't lie to me."

Jupiter immediately shook his head, "No. How can I, I'm fuckin' chained up, dip-shit."

The second time Ethan took a step towards him, the redhead held his ground and held their gaze, hoping that the other can see how much he truly despised him. "I hate liars, Jupiter..." His free hand rose up and the tips of his fingers barely brushed his cheeks before Jupiter slapped his hand away. "I don't want to hate you. So tell me the truth...  _Are you hiding something from me_?"

"Yes." He growled, "My indescribable urge to rip your jugular out."

Ethan's frown deepened as he dug into his pocket in order to pull out an object Jupiter knows very well. He mentally cursed at his shitty luck, his shitty hiding place, and this shitty man. "Jupiter, explain to me why this was in your pillow." The redhead stumbled back as he continued to approach him, panic fully settling in when his back met the wall.

"You mean  _your_  pillow." Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

Ethan stopped way too close to him, "Were you going to escape with this?"

"How the hell am I suppose to escape with a piece of plastic?" Deny. Deny. Deny.

Jupiter jumped violently when a fist slammed against the wall right next to his head, " _Tell me_!" He shouted. "Yes or no... Were you trying to leave me?"

"What do you think?" He snapped back. That was possibly the biggest mistake he has ever made, but then again, no matter what answer he gave him, it would all lead to the same thing.

Jupiter's entire body seized up in the most painful way possible as a searing heat ran through his neck as he fell onto the floor. He cried out as his muscles seized up, his vision flashing white as an agonizing pain that he quickly recognized as electricity ran through his entire body. Refusing to succumb to the darkness that was creeping at the sides of his vision even though his body begged him to, his body twitched with every wave of electricity that went through him.

What finally forced him to unconsciousness was a cloth pressed against his nose and mouth that distinctly smelled sweet. In his fuzzy mind, he quickly recognized it as chloroform, a compound used as an anesthetic and can render someone unconscious in a few minutes when soaked in a rag like the dick head above him is doing.

He mentally cursed as the effects of the anesthetic took advantage of his subdued and exhausted state to knock him out in a few seconds.

* * *

Legolas has not stepped out of Jupiter's lab a single time since he had entered after the small meeting with everyone in the house. Instead, to pass the time as everyone slept - or at least tried to - he explored his friend's lab. He stayed steer clear away from the carefully shelved unknown chemicals and substances, resorting to observing the papers that were messily scattered on the large desk. He had been bemused by the sight, remembering how Jupiter grumbled to himself as he collected the papers into piles from time to time to clear his desk, and no longer than a few hours later it would return to its original messy state.

The ellon found himself organizing the papers one by one after reading each one, trying to understand them the best he can. Soon enough, the desk was cleared from the papers and stray writing utensils. During this time when everyone was asleep - or in the lab still for Jupiter's case at times - he would usually go around the house to clean what needed to be clean. There tended to be not much for him to do to be of help unlike during the day, but he mostly washes the dishes and tidies up the living room. He's very surprised that neither Jupiter nor Manny noticed this.

Throughout their stay here in Jupiter's home, Legolas has noticed that the rest of the Fellowship did similar things. Other than help with grocery shopping, they would all jump at every chance they can get to help the both of them. It soon became a routine, Gimli, Pippin, and Merry helped set up the table for meals and cleaned it afterward with a little help. Boromir, Aragorn, and Legolas helped with shopping. And Frodo and Sam helped Manny and Jupiter cook. When it came to tidying up the house, such as vacuuming - something that had them all wary of when demonstrated - and laundry - which had also been an interesting demonstration - everyone would pick a job and do it. Of course, there were a few mishaps, but it had only made Manny giggle uncontrollably and Jupiter roll his eyes with his usual smirk before they helped them fix their mistake.

Legolas made to move away from the desk, but he stopped at the sight of something in one of the drawers that were cracked open. Without hesitation, he grasped the handle and fully pulled it open. He smiled, quickly recognizing the book that laid inside of it. It was the book that Jupiter has recently been enraptured into and had been reading it every chance he got. It was also the same one that he had been reading on their day at the lake, a day that he was most definitely not going to forget.

His smile dwindling down into a small, yet sad, one, he took out the book and sat himself down on the chair at the desk. Perhaps reading it, even if he won't understand even more than half of it, would distract him. It was worth a try after all... It may even help him learn more and have something to look forward to telling Jupiter of what he had read from the book.

Legolas prayed to the Valar that Jupiter was alright and dearly hoped that he was able to go to him sooner than was planned.

* * *

"Why do they all lie? Why... Why can't he just understand? No, no, no, no, no... I'll make him understand. Yes, I'll make him understand! He's different from all of them. He's different! He just doesn't want to  _listen_." A loud clang echoed the room along with liquid sloshing as Ethan spoke to himself frantically, "Yes, I've done so much, risked so much for him. I'm not letting him go that easily... Oh, I have waited too  _fucking_  long to let him go!"

Jupiter's eyes fluttered open upon hearing his voice rising. An involuntary hissed escaped him when he felt his entire body ache from the torture it had gone through from the dog collar, especially his head. Not only that, he felt a distinct stinging on his neck where the metal of the collar, that makes the electricity travel, touched it. Through his half-awake mind, he quickly decided that he could have gotten worse.

He tried to sit up from where he laid on the floor, but he quickly found out that he was unable to due to his hands being expertly tied behind his back with what felt like a rope. The scientist was suddenly pulled up to a sitting position by a hand that gripped the collar of his shirt, nearly cutting off his air for a couple of moments. A hand took a hold of his chin roughly and jerked his head up.

Now wide awake, Jupiter gave Ethan a withering look, "You're finally awake. I was starting to get a little worried again since I didn't use an injection this time."

"I rather go back to sleep if I'm forced to wake up to see your face. Scratch that, you might as well kill me." He spat.

"Oh, Jupiter..." The man released him, "You don't mean that."

"It's not healthy to be in denial."

"You should take your own advice." Ethan grinned down at him before turning away from the redhead in order to slide a large bucket, which can easily fit a child inside of it, between them, filled to the brim with water. Some of the water sloshed over the sides and spilled onto the floor as it was moved from its previous spot.

"Don't tell me you're going to bathe me." Jupiter said as he stared at the bucket, a horrible feeling bubbling up within him.

"I wish. Maybe one day, but not today." The man shook his head as he moved around the bucket in order to kneel down beside him. "You know, I... I never really liked tough love all too much. I suppose sometimes it's necessary, but right now... I find it very necessary for you. You see, Jupiter, I can be patient. So patient, that I waited a whole entire year for you. But all of this struggling and these lies... I hate it so much. It makes me so...  _angry_. That's why just scolding you and using the collar isn't enough anymore."

"What are you talk-"

Jupiter was interrupted by a hand grabbing a handful of his hair roughly. He didn't even have the chance to take a breath before his head was shoved into the water. The first thing he did was what any other person would do, which was struggle. He tried to use what little of his strength is left and thrashed in his restraints. He can feel his muscles flexing as they desperately used up the little energy left in his body.

Hands held him down firmly, restraining him with what felt like little effort. Claws scratched his stomach as if something was trying to escape from within, like a rat inside a box that barely allowed it to move around. Both his chest and lungs convulsed painfully, the want- the  _need_  for air completely overwhelming him. It felt like an eternity under the water, hearing his own racing heartbeat in his ears as his mind unwillingly flashed to a much too similar experience.

Slowly, his struggles weakened until he was uselessly wiggling from where he sat. The lack of air going to his brain caused his ears to ring and a fuzziness clouded his mind as all of his muscles, including his throat, began to relax-

His lungs greedily sucked in the oxygen in the air as soon as his mind registered that his head was no longer underwater. Coughing and panting dangerously hard, he blinked rapidly until the water that was blurring his vision cleared. Gentle fingers, fingers that made bile in his stomach shift in an unsettling way as they wipe away droplets of water, "I had so much planned. So much..." Ethan whispered, "But you had to ruin it. You make things so difficult for me - for us. I don't want to hurt you, but if it's to make you stay, to make you love me, it's worth it."

"You're fucking sick." Jupiter rasped out roughly, his throat raw from his violent coughing fit.

"Maybe I am." He half-agreed, "I don't want to hurt you, but if it's to make you mine forever, then it doesn't bother me."

Jupiter was disgusted by his words. What kind of backwards bullshit was that? Ethan wasn't done yet though, "One day you'll understand. One day we'll be married and you'll understand that this was meant to be."

"That's why there's a goddamn tux in the closet?!"

"Yes, I was hoping to do it soon, but you are much more stubborn than I had thought."

The scientist shook his head, his hatred for the man in front of him pumped into one single look towards him, "You're wasting your time." His mind flashed to his repeated dreams and blond hair, "You're not the one I have feelings for. You were never meant to be that person. No matter what you do, I will never return your fucked up feelings. You're just wasting your time doing all of this to me. Whatever you feel for me isn't love. If you really do love me, you would never do this to me, let alone drug and kidnap me!"

Again, he barely had time to take a breath before his head was shoved into the large bucket of water much more violently than before along with feeling a hand grasping the back of his neck so painfully that he's sure that there'll be a bruise there. The scratching returned as soon as his head was submerged, spreading to the rest of his body as it responded with panic at the lack of air it was getting once again.

The claws went to the rest of his abdomen, spreading outwards to his limbs and chest until it finally got a hold of his brain and, with a sudden realization, he recognized the agonizing scratches as his struggles weakened again as what seemed like forever appears to go on and on. His chest burned as his hands and feet began to lose their sense of touch. Darkness inched towards him as he heard his heartbeat slow its powerful beating. Even when he was forced into the darkness, the clawing inside of him never stopped.

Jupiter was scared of Ethan, he realized. But he most definitely knew that he was scared of the water itself and what it was doing to him much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp...
> 
> I guess I should tell all of you that the next chapter will most likely be the last of this whole ordeal, around ten thousand words long. :D
> 
> By the way, I recommend an extension called Grammarly for other writers, especially those who are just starting out. Even with just a free subscription, it really helps you out when you're proofreading! (Not sponsored lololol)
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	18. XVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Legolas is pissed.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Frantic knocking was what had startled Legolas out of his little world, looking away from the half-read book. As he stood up to rush to the door, he heard Manny shout, "Legolas, you dang hermit, open up the door! I know you're sulking, but we have a really bad situation right now!"

Within seconds he had swung the door open and the woman grabbed his wrist, dragging him down the hallway swiftly. They entered the living room where everyone was at, and Legolas could only assume that Manny had woke them up for the same reason she had suddenly dragged him out of the basement so late during the night. He also noticed that Aragorn was the only one not in the clothing he wears when he goes to bed, instead, he was in clothes that allowed him to move freely. Not only that, he had the ellon's dual knives in his hands.

"Tell us what happened, lass!" Gimli demanded upon their arrival, sitting beside a yawning Merry, "Have ya heard something of the other lad?"

"Yeah," They all squawked indignantly when she stripped off her shirt and carelessly tossed it to the floor, grabbing the shirt that she had hastily ripped out of Jupiter's drawer as she was hopping into a new pair of pants and sneakers before she ran down the hall while knocking on everyone's doors to wake them up, having no time whatsoever to put the shirt on until now. "Quit it already. Anyway-" She slid her new shirt on, "Ethan's brother just called not too long ago and it's ten times worse than we thought it was."

Frodo's eyes widen, his red cheeks quickly fading to a deathly pale, "Do not tell me-"

"No, he's not dead or dying, thank God, but he's definitely at their house." She hastily pulled her hair up in a secure ponytail, "We were right about Ethan being involved and, oh man, all of you aren't going to like this. The guy freaking kidnapped Jupiter! As in chaining him up with a shackle like a flipping animal with a damn electric dog collar around his neck, which the bastard can activate to electrocute him!"

" _What_?" Legolas growled out dangerously low followed by his equally outraged friends, who were on their feet now.

"Yeah, no wonder he hasn't beaten the crap out of Ethan. And don't you even start with the 'you're a woman' bullcrap because I'm going. You see these fists?" She held up her balled up little hands and then lifted up her leg, "You see these legs? Jupiter may be the baddest bitch around, but I grew up with two older brothers who liked to wrestle. If any of you try to stop me from going into that house, I will kick you straight in the baby-maker.  _Got it_?"

Pippin and Merry nodded immediately with their mouths glued shut, while the others nodded hesitantly. What she said was... true. They have all witnessed her on multiple occasions keeping Jupiter in check when he is about to do something that was particularly rash. "Good..." She breathed out a sigh and began to speak more softly, "I wish all of you can come with us, I really do, but you have to understand. This is a stealthy mission thing, and I trust Aragorn and Legolas the most to be just that since they have years of experience. No offense."

"I take no offense." Boromir stepped towards her and rests a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "We all understand your reasoning. It would be best, anyway, for Gimli and I to watch over the halflings in order to keep them from doing anything that would cause them danger. I trust Aragorn and Legolas to protect you if need be. I wish you three the best of luck, we all miss Jupiter terribly."

Manny smiled and chuckled, "Jupiter would get a kick out of that if he heard you say that. Probably wouldn't even believe it..." She murmured at the end so low that none of them heard her. Other than Legolas, of course.

The woman jumped when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she quickly fished it out to answer, "Hello?"

" _Manny, I don't know what to do, he's not waking up!_ "

"What do you mean he's not waking up? He's breathing isn't he?" She asked quickly, her eyes going wide.

" _Yeah, but he won't wake up. I think my brother did something-_ " A curse hissed out of him, " _He drugged him with some kind of injection. And it looks like this wasn't the first time._ "

"Give me your address right now. My friends and I are coming to get him."

" _Should... Should I call the cops? Oh shit, I can't call the police on my brother! He's my_ brother _! But..._ "

"No, no, no, no, no. Do  _not_  call the police. The last thing we need is this turning into a whole mess because of some people who don't know how to do their job."

" _Speaking from experience?_ "

"Yes, now give me the damn address!- Gimli, pass me that notepad and pen, please."

As Manny wrote down the address with slightly shaky hands, Aragorn switched his gaze back over to his elf companion, who he had given one of the knives to. His eyebrow rose at the sight of him sharpening it with a touch more aggression than necessary.

* * *

"Hey Ethan, where you headed?"

The man looked over his shoulder as he slid on his jacket. A smile spreads across his face, "A few errands. I should be back in a couple of hours, maybe sooner if the traffic isn't too bad. Need me to pick anything up for you?"

"No, I'm good. Drive safe."

"Alright, if you change your mind or something happens, just call me." He grabs his keys, "See ya, Pete."

"Later, Ethan."

Peter let out the breath he didn't know he was holding after his older brother left the house and heard the familiar running of the car pulling out of the driveway. For once, he was glad that Ethan was going to his middle of the night errands. It's been a few hours since a girl named Manny had called him. He didn't recognize the name until she went off to a short monologue about how her close friend, Jupiter, went missing and Ethan was the last person to be seen with him.

Once he heard his name, he instantly knew who she was. The both of them. The most well-known person in their school and his best friend that no one knows why he was friends with - let alone talks to. Jupiter, admittedly, was one of the scariest individuals at school to Peter. He always had the most unsettling smirk on his face and looked like a demon straight out of Hell when he was angry. The hair and eyes did not help this fact.

Even though it happened a while ago, he can still remember what had happened in the park as if it happened just a few hours ago. He had been minding his own business, going to the park since it was a nice day, and tried to study for a test that was scheduled for the next day and then all of a sudden Ray decided it would be funny to tease him about him being gay which he isn't - seriously, just because his brother is gay doesn't mean he is too! - and ruined his notes. Then the person he least expected to help him got Ray to back off, apologized about his notes, and just left. After that, he tried to say thank you, but he never had the guts when he had a chance.

Peter swiftly went into his older brother's room in search of anything out of the ordinary, briefly checking on the fish in a tank leaning against the wall since Ethan tends to forget to feed them. As he carefully looked through Ethan's belongings, he hoped that Manny was wrong. He hoped that his brother didn't do anything as horrible as to hurt someone and Jupiter had just gotten lost or something, but at the same time... He too was suspicious. The only reason is that Ethan wasn't right in the head at a point in his life and after a couple of months in therapy, it was as if it never happened and he was back to normal.

Their parents, before they had split apart, were happy about this and didn't question the suddenness of his improvement. In fact, Peter was the only one who was skeptical, but he kept it to himself. How does a sixteen-year-old become mentally stable with a little bit of therapy after stabbing a kid with scissors for asking his boyfriend about homework?

"What the-" Peter looked down at the wooden tile beneath his foot that caved in upon putting his weight on it. He knelt down and pulled up the tile - which was surprisingly looser than he had thought - to reveal a ring with three normal sized keys and a small key with a heart carved into it and the letter J in the middle. Okay, now he's ten times more worried than he was in the first place.

That's when he began running around the house, opening every closet in every room. He even took a quick look in the garage, but there was nothing. There was only one place he didn't look - the basement.

Ethan knew for a fact that he hated the basement. It was dirty, cobwebs decorating the place, creepy, and smelt weird, so it was the perfect place to hide something from him in there. Flipping the light switch on, he pulled up the collar of his shirt to cover up his nose as he scanned the basement. It had some clutter in it, but it was mostly pushed to the back of the large room.

His shoulders sagged when he realized that nothing was there. It looked exactly the same as it did the last time he was down there with unused boxes, old furniture, an old full body mirror, old toys - wait a minute. Didn't they cover up that mirror with a cloth after bringing it down here since it came with the house? And wasn't it with everything else and not leaning flat again the wall?

Approaching it hesitantly, he looked back at his reflection and his gaze trailed down to the edge of the mirror where there was a keyhole that he nearly missed. He dug in his pocket to pull out the ring of keys before inserting the first one on there in the keyhole. It didn't fit, so he tried the next one, and lo and behold, it unlocked.

The mirror, which was disguised as a door swung open with a low creak to reveal a hallway that kept going straight to another heavy looking door. He immediately went towards it and unlocked it with the first key that hadn't worked with the mirror door. Quickening his steps, he went further down until he turned a corner, which is where he found an end to it. A room.

He had no clue that all of this was here! Was it even here in the first place or did Ethan do all of this? He knows his way around with things, especially with money, but this is just unbelievable.

Nervous and scared for what he's about to further discover, he stepped into the room. His eyes didn't even register the table, the bed, or closet. They focused on his classmate laying on the floor with his arms tied behind his back, a shackle on his ankle, and a strange collar around his neck. "Oh my God!..."

Within seconds, he was by his side, hastily untying the complex knots before he put his full attention on the unconscious redhead. Peter laid him on his back and was beyond relieved to find him breathing, although the rise and fall of his chest were shallow. His hair, face, and clothes were noticeably wet, soaked even. "What the fuck, Ethan?" He whispered as the shock began to settle in, "Why would he do this?!"

Peter gripped his brown hair anxiously for a moment as his mind began to process that not only was Manny right about Ethan hurting Jupiter, but he had  _kidnapped_  him too. "Okay, okay. Everything's going to be fine." He tried to convince himself as he shakily took out his phone to shoot the girl a quick text that he found Jupiter and took a hold of the ring of keys again.

It took him a few tries, but he managed to unlock the shackles with the last big key and it took even longer to put the small key into the collar. With both restraints removed, he shook Jupiter's shoulder, "Jupiter! Wake up, man, you're kinda scaring me here!"

Upon seeing him not twitch in the slightest, he called Manny to tell her of the current predicament, which then leads to him discovering two red dots that he would have missed if it weren't for the fact that he was so close to him. There was one on his neck and another on his arm, and he quickly recognized them as tiny wounds you would get from a shot.

All of a sudden, Ethan's late-night errands made a little more sense. He had been planning all of this for a long time and it scared Peter that he was oblivious to it all the whole entire time. Oblivious to the fact that his _kidnapped classmate_  was underneath his house this whole entire time.

It sickened him. He literally wanted to throw up, but he pushed down his faint nausea and instead went to the bathroom to look for a first aid kit. He frowned when he opened the cabinet, and only found band-aids and Neosporin. Peter made quick work of putting a band-aid on the bruised injection wounds and treating the burn on the other side of his neck with greater care. He prayed that the burn was the only serious injury Jupiter had.

Peter jumped when the redhead's eyes snapped open along with a gasp being pulled into him. Jupiter immediately smacked away the hands that were checking for any other injuries roughly as he quickly sat up, scooting away whilst panting roughly. "Woah, woah, woah! It's okay, it's just me." The younger teen held up his hands defensively and kept his voice calm.

"Who- Who the hell are you?" Jupiter's voice came out hoarse as if he had a cold and went through numerous coughing fits, "Don't tell me you're in on this shit, too."

"What? No! Come on, man, I had no effin' clue that my brother had done this!" Peter said incredulously.

"Your  _brother_?" He paused, recognition appearing on his face, "You're the kid Ray was fucking with."

"You're right, but, uh, no offense Jupiter, I think there are more important things than that like, y'know, escaping." Peter stood up and held out his hand, "I found Ethan's keys and got you out. Can you stand up?"

Jupiter silently took his hand and used it as support to stand, swaying a bit before steadying, "Some of the drug he put in me is still in my system. Damn, I can't kick his ass like this..."

"There won't be any need for that, c'mon, I'll help you walk if you need me to."

"I'm not completely helpless." He scowled as he began to walk as normally as he could, still sluggish from just waking up so suddenly. But he didn't care though, he was just beyond relieved someone saved him from his confinements, pride be damned. "Fuck, thank God you found me. That nutcase tried to give me Stockholm Syndrome. Didn't work, obviously."

Peter could only take this as Jupiter's way of thanking him for saving him. He pushed aside his shyness and shot him a small smile as he quickly leads him into the basement, "Manny called me after searching around. She saw on a security camera that Ethan was the last person you were with, so she wanted me to take a look around to see if anything weird was going on. Everything looked normal until I found the keys," He held up the ring of keys, "Then I knew something was wrong since he was hiding it under a plank under the floorboards."

The freshman looked at him suddenly, his brows furrowed in confusion, "Do you know why Ethan kidnapped you?"

Jupiter gave him a bland stare, "He's obsessed with me and stalked me for a year, and planned all of this to force me to fall in love with him."

" _What_?!" Peter nearly screeched, "He would never- He was-"

"Wow, you really had no clue what was going on. Your brother isn't as innocent as he seems..." He cut in casually as they made their way up the stairs hurriedly, "Especially after that stunt he pulled with the-"

"Shh!" Jupiter snapped his mouth closed and was about to glare down at the freshman who interrupted him, pulling him to a stop for some reason, but Peter said something that made the color from his face drain. "Do you hear that? I-I- Oh crap!-" They both jumped when they heard a car door slam close outside, "He's not supposed to be home yet! Uh... Quick, go in here, I'm gonna put the keys back!"

Before the scientist even realized it, he was shoved into a rather small closet with jackets hung up in it. Jupiter immediately ripped off his hat and painfully gripped a handful of crimson hair. He mouthed cuss words as he tried not to rip his hair out, his urge to punch, kick,  _destroy_  something overpowering the weakness he was feeling.

He was so close! It didn't seem like he was happy or excited to leave this place, but he was. He was relieved, ecstatic to be able to go back home and back to everyone then move on with life along with maybe helping the kid get his brother to a psychiatric hospital because there seriously wasn't something right with Ethan's head.

Jupiter froze when he heard the front door slam close, which wasn't very far since he was able to hear two voices. He knew both of them very well.

"Ethan! You're home early!" He nearly facepalmed when he heard the clear waver in Peter's voice upon greeting his older brother. Luckily, Ethan didn't seem to notice.

"Hey, Pete. Yeah, I thought I should just do a little tonight and the rest tomorrow. It's been a long day..." Jupiter nearly snorted.  _He_  had a long day? "But I picked up something that you really like along the way."

"...You got me a cake?"

"You don't sound too excited... Isn't carrot your favorite? It's from that bakery you like." He heard bags being put down, "Is there something wrong, Pete?"

"N-No, nothing's wrong. It's just... I..."

"Hey, if it's about the whole bullying thing with that jerk, you can tell me. You know what, you and I are going to go in the kitchen, eat some cake, and just talk. Sound good?"

"...Yeah."

Jupiter sighed in relief when their voices and footsteps faded away, but he was still able to hear their voices muffled by the walls. If he was right, then the two of them could easily hear him trying to leave the house if he attempted to. Of course, if he was fast enough it can happen, but who knows how far he'll get before he's caught again? The most he can do right now is  _walk_.

He was tired, frustrated, angry, irritated, hungry, and absolutely  _done_. All Jupiter wanted to do was go home because fuck it! He doesn't care what anybody thinks, he misses the whole lot of them! He misses Manny and her stupid jokes, he misses Frodo and his stupid sweet self, he misses Aragorn and his stupid wisdom, he misses Sam and his stupid amazing cooking skills, he misses Merry and Pippin and their stupid crazy antics, he misses Boromir and his stupid kindness, he misses Gimli and his stupid jubilant laughs, he misses-

The closet door swung open and close suddenly as he was leaning against the wall to calm his breathing. His first instinct was to panic, which he did right after being pinned to the wall with a hand covered over his mouth. His scarred knuckles instantly sunk into the person's stomach and they hissed in pain from the impact. Jupiter clenched his fist tighter, "Stop! It's me, Jupiter!"

Jupiter's fist froze in the air upon hearing the voice whisper urgently. He knew that voice from anywhere and oh, thank everything good and holy because out of nowhere he felt complete again. He no longer felt any anger or frustration. Just from hearing his voice, being this close to him, made him feel tranquil like it always felt when they were alone together.

The person's hand fell as they sighed in relief at the sight of the scientist dropping his fist and completely relaxing. He removed his hand from covering his mouth and moved it instead to rest on his shoulder, squeezing it gently as he spoke with relief clear in his voice, "Thank goodness we found you. Jupiter, I was so worried and I feared that something terrible had happened!..."

Jupiter's eyes widen as the ellon cupped his cheeks and he truly saw that pure fear, the dread that Legolas had been feeling. "You troubling, idiotic,  _damned_  of a rose!" He hissed quietly, pushing in all of his vexation into those words. "Why do Men always have to drink their troubles away? If you had not gone to that... that  _place_  you wouldn't have been hurt!"

He barely heard the elf quietly continuing his scolding of his alcoholic tendencies and his habits when dealing with stress. At this point, it felt like Legolas was trying to verbally let out all of his steam on him, but he didn't care. All he cared about was that Legolas was worried about him. That he was frightened beyond belief by the very fact that someone that he just began to fully trust was hurt or worse.

This was surprising, because when Aragorn had seemingly came back to life, he greeted him as if he didn't just think his dear friend had died. Legolas was always as calm as he can be, even in the middle of a war, but Jupiter has never seen him this panicked or scared before. In fact, this was the most emotional he has ever seen him. And it was all because of  _him_.

He missed Legolas and his stupid everything.

That's what he missed the most.

Jupiter's chest surged with something. A need, a want, a desire, something. Something that he has never done as a need, want, or desire. Something that his subconscious screamed for him not to do, to not give in while the other voice that had remained a whisper began to scream at him to do it. Give in. Just this once. Satisfy this sudden craving that he has never had before, that only Legolas can satisfy along with his stupid everything.

Without any further hesitation, in the midst of Legolas declaring that once they return home that he will dispose of the booze that he has hidden, his hand came up to wrap around the back of the blonde's neck and pull him close enough to smash their lips together.

It was better than he had imagined. His lips were soft and sweet, and heat sparked upon contact before crashing throughout his body like a wildfire out of control. Now he finally understood the pleasure of kissing, why people enjoyed it so much. Now that he has gotten a taste of the one he felt deeply for, he wants more.

And he would have done it if not for the fact that the one he was kissing was frozen stiff in front of him and undoubtedly shocked. Pulling away slowly, in a way that clearly showed that he didn't want to, he looked back into the speechless elf's eyes. He didn't look disgusted or angry... He just looked confused. Dumbfounded, mostly. It was enough for Jupiter to fully realize what he had done.

_What the fuck did he just do?_

Fear, heart-wrenching fear ripped through him painfully, worse than anything Ethan can ever do to him. He knew that he just dug up his grave for rejection that he didn't want. The friendship that he wanted and all the same did not want, destroyed. All because of  _him_. All because he can't control his feelings, these feelings that are so strong that he's surprised he lasted this long without going crazy from keeping it to himself.

"Oh, shit... Legolas, fuck, I didn't-"

"No! Ethan, wait! Before you go take a shower, I wanna talk about- uh, how I should... er... ask the girl I like out!"

"Woah, Pete, you're finally coming to me for girl troubles? Is the world ending or something?"

Jupiter opened and closed his mouth, trying to decide whether or not he should try to explain himself and fail miserably, or leave the closet and actually try to do something in their current situation. Choosing the latter, he made a small noise of frustration, grabbed his hat, grabbed Legolas's hand, and darted out of the closet and into an actual room to hide in.

"Son of a bitch." He hissed, realizing that this wasn't any other room. This was Ethan's room. The only reason why he knew it was specifically his was because of the large shirt draped over a desk chair that was much too large to fit on Peter. Jupiter lightened up suddenly as he began to rifle through the room's contents, "You know what. Never mind, this room is perfect."

"Jupiter..."

He visibly winced upon hearing his name. Looking over at Legolas, he saw his arms crossed and blue orbs boring into his, puzzlement visible in his gaze. Jupiter sighed deeply, shaking his head, "Please... Can we do this later? I just- Just know that it was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. It was stupid for me to do and I'm sorry, now can we continue trying to escape from here?"

The both of them knew that he was lying that it was an accident, but didn't say anything about it. Legolas just simply nodded, agreeing that now wasn't the time to talk about a surprise kiss in the closet. "What are you looking for?" He asked softly, quickly changing the subject.

"I'm not sure if you know this, but Ethan - the psycho who kidnapped me - drugged me to sleep with injections-"

"I'm aware." The elf bristled upon hearing it being repeated and glaring straight at the bandaids that were undoubtedly covering needle wounds and other injuries that he had not known about until now.

"...-Well, I'm looking for them or something just as useful. In order to one, not be used on me or anybody else anymore, and two, to use against him." He pulled open the drawers, pushing away their contents, " _If_  we find them, that is."

Legolas's brows furrow as he carefully watched his friend. He began to notice the shakiness of his hands as they rifled through clothing in the drawers that were beside a fish tank with a black light lit inside it, wincing every so often, and his sluggish steps emphasizing his exhaustion. He has a very good guess as to why his body was reacting this way. In seconds, he had his hands placed on Jupiter's shoulders in order to gently push him towards the bed to sit him down on.

Jupiter didn't protest, but kept his mouth shut when the elf asked him what was hurting. He heard a frustrated sigh above him before fingers pressed against his chin to lift his head up. Legolas gave him a look and Jupiter visibly rolled his eyes before muttering, "It's partly from the injection. Makin' me tired and slow, and giving me a headache. I'm fine."

"You have gone through enough, Jupiter. Please, just this once, rest for a few minutes while I search. If you need anything, do not hesitate to tell me." Legolas made him look at him again when his gaze drifted off again, "Okay?"

"...Fine. Just... Shut the lights off. They're making my head hurt more."

"Of course." Legolas quickly crossed the room to flick off the lights and heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Holy mother of- What the-"

He whipped around and his jaw nearly dropped as he gazed at the walls of the room. The only things that faintly illuminated the room now were the black light from the tank and the glowing drawings decorated on the walls. They were all realistic pictures of faces of men, some with their eyes crossed out in a blinding red, others are drawn with wounds so gruesome that it made Jupiter's stomach churn.

Words such as 'cheater' and 'liar' were written above the many faces, but they did not keep both of their attention for long. They were much more concerned about the wall with only one picture, which consisted of a half-finished drawing of Jupiter's face with many hearts decorated around it.

"Jupiter," Legolas looked at him as the horrified scientist stood up, "What in the world is going on?"

He took a shaky breath, "Ethan. He... He's obsessed with me. 'Loves me' as he puts it. He kidnapped me because he thinks that I'm fated to be his or some type of bullshit like that, and planned to force me into marriage with him... And if I'm not wrong, there were others like me that caught his eye."

* * *

Ethan wasn't an idiot.

He knows that Peter was hiding something... But it was fun to amuse him for the time being as he observed his surroundings, searching for any possible changes that could be linked to his sudden secrecy. For all he knows, it can be nothing at all. He's graduating early from college soon, so he could be setting up a surprise knowing him.

Of course, he would have pushed aside Peter's strange behavior as that if it weren't for the fact that he was being very shifty and looked at him strangely. It came to the point where he was getting tired of it and openly asked what his problem was. Predictably, Pete, in turn, told him that there was no problem at all, which was obviously a lie.

The man finally escaped from his brother after being stopped by him another couple of times. He had been studying nearly all day after his and Jupiter's little... discussion. He felt a knot in his back that was in desperate need of soothing with a hot shower and good night's sleep. Of course, he can't do that before he visits Jupiter... He should bring some food down to keep him alive.

He couldn't help the contented sigh from coming out as he took his time going down the stairs with the plate of food. Ethan will never get over how excited he gets every time he comes to the basement. Each time he came to visit Jupiter, his heart would pound almost as hard as when he retrieved Jupiter outside the bar.

His eyes narrowed at the mirror as he pulled out his spare keys. It was cracked open... Weird, did he forget to lock it? He shrugged it off and continued on.

Suddenly, his heart sunk and a frown appeared on his face as he went through the hidden hallway. Jupiter will most definitely be mad at him for the punishment he had given him. It was necessary, but he didn't like the thought of Jupiter being any more mad at him than he already is. It makes him wonder when the day he'll feel the same way will come.

"Jupiter," The man sang as he walked down the last bit of hallway to the room, "You awake? I brought you some foo-"

The paper bowl of fruit and the slice of carrot cake on a paper plate fell onto the floor limply. His breathing grew heavy, eyes blown wide as they frantically dart around the room. The empty shackles, the empty collar, the empty ropes, the empty room, empty! No Jupiter! "No, no, no..." He muttered as he quickly went over to the lone collar, picking it up with hands shaking violently. "No... No, Jupiter wouldn't do this to me... Jupiter isn't like them. Jupiter's not like the others!... No, no... Never..."

Ethan's eyes trailed over to a box of opened band-aids and stray wrapper littering the floor. He schooled his expression as he stood up, allowing the collar to fall onto the floor. "Oh, Peter... I love you, but... You just made a very big mistake."

* * *

"...And so long story short, some guy went yandere on my fucking ass and has been holding me captive in his goddamn basement for who knows how long."

"...Yandere?"

Jupiter shook his head as he explained, "A person that's romantically obsessed with another individual. The  _point_  is that we need an escape plan because sooner or later he's going to go down there, and see no me and lose his shit."

Legolas nods in agreement and his gaze drifted back up to the drawings and words littered on the walls and ceiling. "Manny and Estel are here as well-"

"Manny?!" He hissed with wide eyes, "What the fuck is Manny doing  _here_?"

"She guided us here, Estel is with her, so there is no need to fret. We must focus on joining them without getting caught. I rather not run into that man that harmed you, otherwise, I might be tempted to put my blade to good use."

"Me too, but more like tempted to, y'know, use my foot to good use on his balls." He shrugged before mumbling in a disgruntled manner, "Unfortunately, I can't right now, obviously."

"Quite." Legolas gained a thoughtful look, "Perhaps... I _should_  put my blade to good use."

"Oh, no, no, no." Jupiter stood up, slapping away the hands that went towards him to guide him back down on the bed, "You are  _not_  killing anyone. I do not want to go through the tedious process of covering up a murder, and don't ask how I know how to cover up a murder."

"Do not worry, I will not kill him. I will only... distract him. Long enough for you to escape, and join Manny and Estel."

Surprisingly for the elf, this only made Jupiter angrier, "I am  _not_  leaving you here alone. I don't care how many hundreds of years of skills in fighting you have, I'm not going to let you do this all alone."

"You can barely stand without trembling!" Legolas reasoned, irritated by his stubbornness, "Your wounds, what the man had put in you, it has hurt and weakened you. Let me do this in order to protect you, Jupiter."

"Then who's going to protect you, huh? Who's going to watch your back, because I've been with that guy long enough and I know he's got shit up his sleeve, in that  _head_  of his that I can't figure out!" He stepped closer, grabbing the startled elf's shoulders, "I have no idea what he's going to do when he finds out I'm gone. I'm not shaking 'cause I'm fucking hurt, I've gone through worse shit than this, I'm shaking because I'm  _scared_ , okay? I'm scared that he's going to hurt you!"

The scientist breathed heavily, his eyes wide with his own surprise and hidden terror. Terror at the thought that Legolas can get hurt, the ellon thought. He wasn't afraid by the fact that he himself would get hurt even more, but because of Legolas getting hurt. He felt Jupiter's hands shake even more against his shoulders. Suddenly, Legolas started to get a small feeling as to why he had kissed him in the closet out of the blue.

And he was starting to get a small feeling as to why he wasn't bothered by the kiss in the closet. In fact, he had  _liked_  it.

Legolas reached up and grabbed both of his hands, gently sliding them off of his shoulders to hold them. He squeezed them, carefully watching Jupiter's expression as he did so, rubbing soothing circles with his thumbs. All at once, the redhead breathed out deeply as all of the tension left his body, his trembling reducing down to a slight tremor.

Fascinated by the effect he had put on him from the simple touch, he stepped closer as he let go of one of his hands to place his own on the side of his neck. Jupiter turned his gaze up from their hands upon feeling the new touch and after seeing Legolas interlock their fingers. His cheeks blossomed a pleasant pink at the sight of the elf watching him intently, looking away again.

Legolas slid his hand more around his neck until he had his arm wrapped around it and jerking him closer until they were pressed together in an embrace. Jupiter's breath hitched, and after a moment of hesitation, slid his own arm around his waist to return the much needed hug. With unrestrained need, he nuzzled into the platinum blonde hair and nearly laughed when he smelled his favorite shampoo.

"This has happened before..." Legolas whispered, closing his eyes in contentment at the sensation, "It was when you were heartbroken... All of the ire you had been feeling had been released all at once and you could not stop shaking. It was only when I had spoken to you, did you stop."

"I've tried so many things to keep my anger in check. Exercise, lab work, studying, I even took a stupid yoga class with Manny and that only made it worse." He chuckled humorlessly, "But you... You come along and calm me down without even trying. Everyone else, even my best friend, can't do that. They can't even talk to me when I'm in one of my moods without being a target of my anger. Manny has learned to just let me cool off in my own way, and I'm sure she told you guys, but you... You probably ignored what she said and talked to me anyway. I just don't get it..."

"Truly?"

"Yeah."

"I wish... I wish that I can do the same with your fear." Legolas admitted, "For you to be afraid... I hate to see that in your eyes."

"I won't be afraid as long as I'm with you when we escape."

Shocked, the archer pulled away slightly to look at him directly, but never letting go, "Jupiter-"

"I'm not taking no as an answer. If we're gonna do this, we're doing this together. I've got your back, alright?"

Reluctantly, yet determinedly, he replied, "And the same to you."

Jupiter sighed in relief and leaned forward to press his forehead against the other's, "Good."

"Shall we?" Legolas said, even though he would much rather stay like this for a few more minutes.

His signature smirk itching it's way up back on his face, Jupiter fully pulled away and took a step back, letting their interlocked fingers untangle slowly, "We shall."

* * *

Peter stared into the empty closet with barely suppressed horror. Where did Jupiter go? What happened to him? Is he okay? And many other questions having to do with his well-being bombarded his mind. Everything had been going as fine as it could be, other than Ethan coming back home early, and they were pretty much nearly home free!

Okay, okay, he just needed to calm down and think. He had been in the kitchen this whole time, so there was no way Jupiter could have left without him at least hearing him. This meant that he was still in the house and most likely closer than he thinks. If he's quiet, he could probably find him without any issue and sneak him-

"Pete, I thought you were going to bed?"

With a small yelp, he jumped as he spun around. He swallowed thickly, "Hey, Ethan!" Peter greeted him as normally as he could, "I was just looking for something."

"What are you looking for?" Ethan asked instantly, and Peter heard something off in his voice, "Maybe I can help."

"Y'know, um, my spare school supplies. I ran out of lead in my pencil so I'm just looking for the bag..."

His older brother's eyes lit up, "Oh yeah, that bag! Well, you were looking in the right place." Ethan strolled up to him, grabbing his shoulders to spin him around a bit roughly, "It's right in here."

Before Peter could even react, he was shoved into the closet and the door slammed behind him. He spun around and instantly tried to pull the door open again, only to find that it was locked. His face went pale before he began to slam his fists on the door, "Ethan! Let me out, this isn't funny!"

"You're lucky you're my brother, Peter." He heard Ethan's muffled voice through the door state calmly, "You're lucky that I know you and I know why you did it, otherwise the outcome for you would have been much worse. Unfortunately... You made the wrong choice. You should have kept quiet this time."

"Shit- No, Ethan!" Peter shouted, "Listen to me! Don't do this! This could all be over if you just let him go! You can't just force him to make him feel something for you-"

"You don't know anything!" Ethan growled, "No, no, no... No, no one knows anything! No one understands!  _Jupiter_  understands! He understands!" He took a noticeable shaky breath, "He'll be mine, Peter. You can't stop me."

"He may not be able to, but I can."

The man turned around upon hearing the accented voice and he immediately glared at the intruder, "Who the hell are you?" He did a double-take, " _How_  did you get in my damn house?!"

"It wasn't hard to slip inside." The blonde man stated simply, "And to answer your first question, I am a friend of Jupiter's. It is truly not a pleasure to meet you."

"So that's how Pete knows, huh?" Ethan scoffed, "Got suspicious of me and told him about it?"

"I wouldn't say that we were suspicious. It is more that we knew that you were involved in his disappearance. It was quite a shock when we discovered how much you really were involved in it."

"'We', huh? You mean you and Amanda. Just make it easier for both of us and tell me where Jupiter is."

For a moment, Legolas looked thoughtful upon hearing the question.

* * *

"That son of a bitch locked me in here! I swear to God, that tricky little fucker is so gonna get it later for lying to me! Telling me that he's protecting me and bullshit, oh, now who the hell is going to protect you, you persistent lil' shit?!"

* * *

"I'm afraid that I can't do that. This is the only way through to the exit and you are in the way."

They stared each other down with withering glares, shoulders tensed as they readied themselves for the inevitable fight. It wasn't until Ethan suddenly shot his hand to behind him did Legolas use his quick feet to his advantage, going towards him so fast that he barely pulled the unknown weapon out before he was slammed into the wall with a sharp kick to the stomach.

Ethan was unable to even shake off his brief dizziness from the impact when he was pinned onto the wall with a dual knife a breath away from piercing the skin of his neck, wheezing from the kick he had received, "Drop your weapon and surrender, you impudent mortal." Legolas hissed dangerously.

The man paused at his words, surprised for a moment at the amount of pure fury in his voice before he snapped out of it. He returned the favor given to him, lifting up his leg and kicking the elf in his stomach. Legolas stumbled back, but still held firm, narrowly dodging a punch before catching the wrist of the hand that held the foreign weapon, pressing his thumb into his wrist until Ethan cried out, dropping it. The elf swiftly kicked it away before he was forced to jump away from another swing at him.

Ethan panted, gathering his bearings as he held up his fists, "You're not taking him away from me. He's mine."

"Your's?" The archer rose an eyebrow, "Jupiter belongs to nobody. He is his own person and wishes to be rid of you, and I plan on fulfilling that wish."

"Plan on killing me, huh? I'd love to see you try with that shitty knife."

"No, I don't plan on killing you. He said something about... Not wanting to go through the trouble of concealing a murder." He took great pleasure in the vexation in his eyes, "But I do plan on bringing you to the brink of it."

"No, no, no, you really think I deserve all of that?" Ethan smiled in a way that would have been pleasant if it weren't for what he said next, "I only punished him just a little. No... no, I didn't want to hurt him, I really didn't, I promise, I pinky promise, but he deserved it. He wouldn't listen to me, no, he wouldn't understand, but he will once I get rid of you and find him! Yes, yes, a little zap and a dunk in some water surely made him think about how much he hurt my feelings! For lying to me! For trying to leave!"

"Trust me, he has thought about it, and I know that more than anything, he wants to leave."

Legolas must have struck something that he shouldn't have because Ethan came after him in a fit of blind rage, striking at the elf. Legolas didn't even bother using his knife, he dodged each punch aimed at him, his sharp eyes tracking every movement the man made easily before finding an opening and grabbing his arm to pull him towards him, kneeing him in his already bruised stomach.

The wind was knocked out of him and was given no chance to catch his breath before an elbow smashed into his chest just as he let go of his arm. Ethan fell to the ground, gasping for breath as he tried to lift himself up. He coughed and shakily reached out in front of him before grabbing at something.

Legolas barely had any time to react once he realized that it was the weapon that he had taken out beforehand, before there was a loud bang that nearly shattered the elf's sensitive eardrums and an explosion of burning hot pain developed in his calf. With a pained cry, he unwillingly collapsed onto the ground, pressing his hand against the wound beneath his pants leg that was rapidly turning red.

Ethan chuckled breathlessly as he struggled to stand up, "Did you really think you were gonna win?..." He stood up fully and pointed the weapon straight towards his head this time, "Don't worry, I'll make it quick for you."

"Ethan, don't!"

The man's eyes widen slightly and he looked over his shoulder. "Jupiter?..."

When Legolas saw him, he blanched, "Jupiter! How did you-"

"I'm one resourceful muthafuckin' genius, that's how. Did you really think you would keep me in that room for long?"

"No, of course not." He sighed.

Jupiter turned his attention back to his kidnapper, his hands raised in a defensive manner, "Ethan... Don't do this."

"And why shouldn't I? Huh?! He's trying to take you away from me! Both him and that girl!" Ethan shouts, "It can't be because you really want to leave! You feel something for me, don't you?"

"I... When I woke up, I thought about what you told me." Jupiter said slowly in a strained voice, "I thought about... All of the risks you took. All of the things you have done for me. And now, I understand."

He took a careful step forward upon seeing the man lower his gun, his eyes wide and full of tears, "I understand what you have been trying to tell me. I understand why you did all of those things to me, why you took me."

Jupiter closed the distance between them, reaching a hand up to press it against his chest and looking at him coldly, "So... give me the gun so I can kill him myself."

"...What?" Legolas whispered in pure and utter confusion. Much to his horror, the love-struck Ethan gave the gun to him without hesitation and Jupiter pointed it at the elf firmly as if he had no issue with the idea of killing his friend. "Jupiter, what are you doing?"

The scientist felt hands resting on his waist from behind him, "I told you that he would eventually understand." Ethan grinned with sick glee, "Like I said. He's  _mine_."

In a matter of seconds, Jupiter had whipped around and slammed the gun into the side of the man's face. He stumbled back from the impact with a shout and curse of pain as the redhead swiftly unloaded the gun, scattering the bullets on the floor and throwing aside the useless gun. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't keep up the act any longer," He said, unapologetic, as Ethan lifted his fingers away from his lips to see that they were coated in blood, "I just couldn't let you get away with saying that you owned me."

Ethan looked at him with pure sorrow in his eyes, a tear finally falling down his cheek, "Wh... Why?"

"Okay, you wanna know why? Let me give you the list, first off, you're obviously mentally unstable and need to get your noggin checked out, you stalked me for a year, kidnapped me, held me captive, drugged me, shocked me with an enhanced dog collar, drowned me, and lets not forget that you  _shot_  my friend and were about to  _kill_  him. Out of all of them, guess which one I'm most pissed about. Let me give you a hint, it includes a stupid, hot, British blonde guy."

"I thought you were different!..." He said, "You've went through everything I have! You've been lied to, like me! No... No, you can't be a liar like them!"

"Just because I've been cheated on and lied to like you doesn't mean I don't lie. I'm the biggest asshole out there, what the hell did you expect?" Jupiter glared at him as Ethan began shaking his head, "I saw the drawings, Ethan. I wasn't the only one, was I? That's why you and your brother moved here to California isn't it?"

"Shut up! Shut up, already!" Ethan screamed, "You... You don't know  _anything_! If I have to beat you so you can understand, so you won't ever lie to me again, I will!"

Jupiter shouted an, "Oh, shit!" When the man charged at him and aimed his fist towards his face. The scientist barely moved his body in time to avoid it before instinctively clenching his own hand into a fist and getting ready to punch him-

Suddenly, there was a loud clang and Ethan dropped to the ground limply. Two pairs of eyes stare at the new occupant holding a dented pan with wide eyes.

"Boom! You just got Manny'd, bitch!" Manny shouted as she dropped the dented pan, laughing breathlessly. As much as Jupiter was tempted to hug the girl to death and kiss both of her cheeks multiple times, he instead just rolled his eyes before quickly going over to Legolas's side, "Oh my god, did he get  _shot_?! When I heard the gunshot, I was hoping that neither of you got hit!"

"Yes." Jupiter gritted out with barely suppressed irritation and looked at a visibly cringing Legolas as he stripped off his own shirt to use as a temporary compressor to stop the bleeding, "It's not bleeding as much as it should, so the bullet is still in his leg." Once he was finished, he lightly smacked the back of the elf's head, "See what happens when you're stubborn?"

The elf gave him a strained smile, wincing, "You cannot tell me that you would not have done the same thing."

Jupiter decided not to deny or not deny his statement. Instead, all of the exhaustion flooded into him all at once and he dropped his head onto his shoulder, "We're still having a long talk about this once we get home."

Once he had said that, there was the sound of quick steps coming from down the hallway and Aragorn appeared, seeming panicked until he caught sight of Manny, "Manny! I had been worried when you ran off so suddenly after- Legolas!"

"Don't worry, Estel. Manny saved us both, it was quite extraordinary." The elf told him as he knelt at the other side of him, "I have also discovered that this world has weapons that are much more dangerous than a bow and arrow."

"He should be fine. It just hurts like a bitch, I bet."

All of their heads shot up when they heard a squeal and a thump, Aragorn was immediately on his feet when they all saw Ethan sitting up with his head bleeding profusely and his arm wrapped around Manny's neck. He glared at them all, "Make one move and I'll break her neck."

The brunette clawed at the man's arm as she struggled to breath as he slowly stood up, dragging her up with him. Jupiter's eyes quickly snapped over Ethan's shoulder before concentrating back onto Manny, holding out a hand to Aragorn who was probably ready to do some sick attack that would catch him off guard, "Wait."

Legolas was just about to turn to look at him incredulously, but his eyes caught the same thing. Just as the ranger was about to give Jupiter a few choice words, a hand appeared from behind the crazed man and a needle sunk into the junction between his neck and shoulder, the contents quickly being injected. Almost instantly, Ethan dropped Manny back onto the floor and he himself fell to the ground for the second time.

Peter stared down at his unconscious brother as Manny panted, coughing every now and then, "Holy shit... Did I kill him?"

Jupiter stood up, heart still beating frantically from the scare and pulled out the needle to examine it, "Sedative. A lot of it too, so when someone is already at the brink of passing out, it'll work right away." He looks at Peter, "How did you find these?"

"Well," He fidgeted, not moving his eyes away from his brother, "After he locked me in the closet, I looked for something to get me out and I found a ton of those needles in a suitcase. I grabbed it, destroyed the doorknob and then I saw Ethan choking Manny." He finally looks up at them all, "By the way, I called the cops after I heard the gunshot. They're on their way right now."

Jupiter nodded, tossing the needle aside and rubbing his forehead, "Aragorn, Manny, get Legolas and get out of here before the police come. I don't want you all to get involved in this mess."

Manny shook her head, recovered from the small attack, "What-"

"I'm not taking a no as an answer. Legolas can't be taken to a hospital, so once this is all mostly straightened out, I'll patch him up."

"I agree with Jupiter." Aragorn said, although reluctantly.

The woman threw her hands up, "Fine! Fine, c'mon let's go-"

" _Jupiter! Manny!_ "

"What the-"

A door was slammed open and multiple feet stomped on the floor before hobbits, a dwarf, and a man flooded into the hallway donning their medieval-looking weapons. Peter stared at the group wide-eyed with the most confused look whilst Jupiter slapped a hand onto his forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! About 10K words. :D
> 
> First off, I would like to acknowledge the fact that this whole incident was an idea I had after watching the movie Luna de Miel (Honeymoon), and the fish tank idea was from Orphan.
> 
> I also have some sad news, I will be going on vacation soon for my birthday and will be unable to upload next week's chapter.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	19. XIX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I used Google a lot for this chapter, so some things might not be accurate. I really don't know if it is or isn't.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Guilty, but mentally ill.

The trial was surprisingly quick, and for each time Jupiter had to appear in court, Manny accompanied him as support - even when he has stated multiple times that he didn't need it. Multiple times he had been brought to the stand to speak about what had happened, and with the evidence that was found, matched perfectly with what he was saying.

Ethan's lawyer had apparently insisted on pleading not guilty, but surprisingly, with his head hanging throughout the whole entire trial, he shook his head. When Jupiter had been up on the stand, questioned by strangers, he saw how tired Ethan was with horrible circles under his bloodshot eyes, a large bruise on his cheek. He didn't pity him, not at all, it was his family that he felt bad about.

Peter and their mother were a mess, the oldest man in the small family, their stepfather, held onto the sniffling woman as she struggled to watch every dirty little secret that Ethan held be revealed. It was the last day of the trial where the most shocking news had been confessed by Ethan when he was to speak for the last time in the courtroom.

"Ethan, the pictures that you drew on your walls with the invisible paint..." A lawyer that had been appointed to Jupiter asked Ethan as the judge was given pictures of them, "Who are they?"

"My exes." He muttered, his eyes cast downwards.

The lawyer nods her head, slowly pacing in front of him, "Five of these gentlemen on your wall have been identified as five missing people back in your home state. In the drawings, their eyes are crossed out, given crude injuries. Ethan, what did you do to them?"

"They all said they loved me... I believed them." Ethan shook his head slightly, "The others they... They told me the truth. They at least told me they didn't love me. But those five... They lied to me. They were all cheaters and they got what they deserved. All liars should get what they deserve."

"What happened to them?"

"I killed them."

His mother cried out, sobbing into the tissue she was given. Her current husband pulled her close to his chest as he too stared at his eldest son in disbelief. Peter, who was sitting beside Jupiter in the front, took in a sharp breath and the redhead silently pushed the tissues over to him. The lawyer didn't look surprised, "We found their bodies. In the autopsy, the causes of death were identified. Two beaten to death, and the other three shot. The bullets are the exact same ones as the ones in the gun you were going to use to presumably kill both Mister Holo and your brother, Peter." She looks at the judge and nods respectfully, "I'm finished here."

Once the guards brought Ethan back to his table, his lawyer stood up and cleared his throat, "I would like to have Peter, the defendant's brother, on the stand."

The judge nodded and motioned for the tearful teen to be brought up to the stand. They went through the quick process of swearing on the Bible and Ethan's lawyer approached him, "Peter... It has come to my attention recently that Ethan has a psychological record as an adolescent and up to his early teens. Correct?"

"Yeah," He nods. "When I was a kid, my parents told me that Ethan would get violent with his classmates as a little kid. They just wrote it off as just bad anger issues and it faded, but when I was around eleven and he was sixteen... He stabbed a classmate for asking his boyfriend for his homework."

"After that, your parents took him to therapy."

"He was back to normal so quickly." Peter said, his brows furrow, "My parents were just glad he was fine again, but it was weird. He was back to normal too quickly and acted as if it never happened. When we all came with him as support when he apologized to the guy, he didn't look like he meant it."

"What do you think actually happened to Ethan, Peter?"

"I think... I think that he never got better. I think that the therapist just wrote off his behavior as just a relapse in his anger issues because he tricked them. He quickly figured out how they wanted him to act and took advantage of his past problems as a kid, and never got the proper treatment he needed."

"A psychologist came to speak with Ethan not too long ago, Peter, and he thinks the same thing. In fact..." The lawyer handed the guard that stood by the judge a file in order to pass it over to her, "He was rather quick to diagnose his mental state. Schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder."

He turns to Peter, "Thank you, Peter. I think I am finished here, Your Honor."

It was only a few hours later before the judge gave her verdict, "Ethan, please stand."

"Ethan Weber, the jury has come to a decision, and you have been found guilty, but mentally ill, for five counts of first degree murder of Kevin Walker, Henry Reynolds, Lucio Russo, Connor McKendrick, and Felix Ducas, one count of aggravated assault, illegal use of medical sedatives, one count of first degree kidnapping of Jupiter Holo, and misdemeanor stalking. You have been given three life sentences with parole for a set of twenty-five to thirty years, with treatment for mental illness during the sentence."

Again, Ethan's mother cried out in horror for her son. The man didn't even react to the verdict or even at the sound of his mother sobbing for the loss of him. Peter dropped his head into his hands, his shoulders shaking as the judge asked Ethan, "Ethan Weber, do you have anything to say before I officially pass this sentence?"

He didn't say anything. His head continued to hang and stare blankly ahead of him, "Mr. Weber?" The judge repeated. He raised his head slightly, "Do you have anything else to say?"

"I..." For the first time, he fully lifted up his head and scanned the courtroom before his eyes stopped at Jupiter, "I don't regret what I did. Everything that I did... Jupiter... I need to know. Please, please tell me just this once, do you love me? And if you don't then... then why?"

The scientist's eyes shifted over to Manny, who gave him an encouraging nod, and then to the judge, who sighed and gave a small motion with her hand. He looked straight into Ethan's eyes, "I don't. Other than the fact that you're a complete stranger, and have done all of those things to me and... put so much stress on my friends, I don't feel this way with you because someone has already taken a permanent hold of my heart and I know that even after death, it will stay this way."

"All this time..." Ethan's voice quivered, "All this time?..."

"Please take Mr. Weber away."

"Wait! No!" He shouted as multiple guards came to roughly stop him from struggling, "No, no, no it can't be true! You're lying! No, I love you, Jupiter!  _Please, don't let them take me away from you!_ "

* * *

Manny and Jupiter entered the house quietly, locking the door behind them before the redhead helped his best friend out of her sweater jacket despite her groans of annoyance, leaving her in a long sleeved blouse tucked in a skirt, having already kicked off her heels. They entered the living room to find everyone enjoying a rare, peaceful card game.

They all look up at once and immediately stopped their game, their expressions quickly becoming grim, "How did you fair?" Boromir asked as soon as he saw them.

"Let's just say that we all won't be seeing him for a long time." Manny said as she took out the neat bun that she tied her hair up in, "I got the news people to keep Jupiter anonymous since he's still a minor - thank God - so everything should be fine for us, hopefully."

"Won't the man be executed for his crimes?" Gimli asked, confused.

She shakes her head, "He was found guilty, but mentally ill. If he weren't diagnosed as mentally ill, then he probably would have gotten the death penalty, but even if he did get the penalty, the whole death row thing hasn't executed anybody since 2006. I forget why."

"Where's Legolas?" Jupiter spoke up and all eyes turn to him.

Merry pointed to the back door, "He said that he wanted to go for a short walk. We tried to stop him, but..." The hobbit barely got to finish his sentence before Jupiter handed Manny his car keys and walked out of the backdoor.

As soon as he got outside, he pulled out his box of cigarettes and placed one in his mouth. As he crossed the lawn and onto the path through the forest, he paced himself when breathing in the smoke, making sure not to finish it off too quickly. When he had returned home after three hours of being checked over by a paramedic and going to the police station to make a statement, he had nearly smoked through his whole entire packet that night after properly patching up Legolas. Manny had ended up taking the packet away and flushing it down the toilet to get him to stop.

Jupiter frowned as he realized that he hasn't seen Legolas since that night other than when he came to him to update him on his bullet wound's healing. It kind of... hurt. And he felt bad. Really bad, because he knows that he's avoiding Legolas. He supposes that he never had a reason to talk to him like he usually does without the fear of it getting awkward.

He resisted the urge to turn back and go back home. It was about time he quit being a chicken about this and man up. Besides, Legolas isn't supposed to be walking this much after getting shot, he's not even at the campsite!

To his relief, the scientist eventually found Mirkwood's prince past the gate that blocked off wanderers from getting too close to the cliff that hanged over a much larger and vast forest below. Legolas sat close to the edge with the crutch he was given placed on the ground beside him, staring out at the open air in front of him.

Jupiter went through the already opened gate and stopped behind the elf, sucking in a smoky breath as he silently admired how peaceful he looked, "Hey." He smirked when Legolas jumped, looking over his shoulder to gaze up at Jupiter with a startled expression, "You should know better than to walk half a mile with a hurt leg."

Legolas breathed out a sigh, "It's not often that someone can sneak up on me so easily."

"Payback for all of those times you scared me." Jupiter sat himself down beside him.

"I know I should have at least stayed at the campsite, but on a nice day such as this, I cannot resist the urge to come all the way here once I had discovered it." He then motioned to his leg, "Besides, you worry too much, my friend. It is only but a deep cut now, but I brought the crutch you have given me just as a precaution."

"See, this is why I love your magical blood."

Legolas barked out a laugh, a much freer laugh that Jupiter has never seen or heard before, and as soon as he finished laughing, he hoped that he can make Legolas laugh like that again, and again, and again. Once he had fully calmed himself, the elf asked, "How did you fair?"

"It was alright, I guess." Jupiter rolled his eyes when he was given a look that said, 'You and I both know that it wasn't just 'alright'.', and sighed, "It went... fine... okay?... I don't know. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad that he won't be around for a long time and getting the medical attention that he needs, but the whole thing still..."

Before Jupiter even lifted his hand up to scratch the other, Legolas grabbed it, plucking the cigarette out from between his fingers and tossing it aside, holding his hand in his. He took a deep breath, staring down at their hands and continued, "It still fucked me up. When I was down there I thought I wouldn't see yo- All of you again for one horrible second. And all throughout it, I just got angrier with every word that came out of his mouth, but I couldn't do shit."

"What did he tell you?"

"He kept telling me bullshit like I was supposed to love him, that I'm his and that it was meant to be, delusional bullshit like that. But you know what's fucked up? That wasn't what got me the angriest. What made me mad was when he told me why he felt that way. Because of my looks."

"I think I see why you would be so upset about that. I believe I have gone through something similar, based on outside appearance." Legolas admitted, "You are aware that I'm a prince of my Elven Realm?" He received a nod, "Ever since I was just a little elfling, it had been difficult to deal with. The expectations, the restrictions when born into royalty. I did not realize that being a prince was something that would affect my personal life until I came of age. My father had expected me to find an elleth that was fit to his standards, pursue, and court her. During that time, a ball was to be placed to celebrate the coming season, a perfect time to do so." He looks down at the forest below them, "All of the elleths that approached me... They..."

"They only saw you as a handsome, rich prince looking for a wife."

"...Yes."

Jupiter took a deep breath, "All throughout my life... People have tried to crawl their way into it because of my looks." He shrugs, "Yeah, I get it, you can like someone because of their beauty among other things, but do you know how it feels when you have to deal with people wanting you  _only_  for your looks every single day? Just because your popular and... and attractive? I never  _wanted_  to be popular. And it's all because of my looks." He paused, "I mean, it's not that I don't want to be, y'know, pretty and shit, I just hate the fact that society around me cares about it so much."

He clutched the soft hand in his, "Anyway, I didn't want that, I never wanted that. That's why I got into fights as a kid and pissed off the teachers. I thought that if I did something bad, that they would stop. That they would stop trying to worm their way into my life, but they didn't. They just thought I was even cooler, which is the stupidest logic that kids have. It didn't take long for me to not care, to start scaring them all, to stop being this fake person that smiled and laughed with my fake friends. I'm still known as the popular bad boy, or some other type of High School Musical bullshit like that, and they all still look up to me for the same reasons."

The scientist reached up to loosen his tie more until it was barely holding together, "Manny, she... She was the only one who didn't do that. I met her during fourth grade and the first thing she told me was that she hated my crappy glasses and how I beat up other classmates before punching me in the stomach."

"Ah, yes, that does sound like something she would do." Legolas chuckled, amused by the thought.

"Heh, yeah, after that I didn't stop bothering her until she finally gave up and talked to me. She's the first person outside my family to ever not judge me by my looks." He turned to the archer and met his gaze, "Legolas... I've never seen you as a prince. I see you as a stubborn elf that loves chocolate, stupidly nice and sweet, and... and just the most genuine and amazing person I have ever met."

Legolas's eyes widen and his jaw dropped slightly hearing these honest words, "I see you as only Legolas. Not the prince of Mirkwood who is on his way to being king for who knows how long. Just Legolas, the elf that fell out of my best friend's television screen and pointed an arrow at her."

Fortunately, he quickly recovered to say just as honestly, "And I see you as only Jupiter as well. The intelligent man who's never afraid to speak his mind, kind in his own strange way, and not to mention an asshole."

"Wow," Jupiter grinned as he shook his head, "Wow, I thought you were gonna go all sentimental like I did, but nope. You just ruined it with that last bit."

They shared a laugh at that and in the midst of it, Jupiter tugged at his hand to gain his attention, "I have an idea."

"Oh?"

"Yes, oh. I've got an idea to, y'know, free yourself in a way from what's expected of you when it comes to your princely ways."

"Well, I  _am_  rather tired of needing to think before I speak... How do you suppose I 'free' myself?"

"Alright, so you know how you always have to keep yourself calm? How you can never show the slightest bit of anger or negativity even when you are rightfully so?" Jupiter received a nod, "We're gonna get rid as much of it as we can today. You're just gonna scream it all out, no holding back."

"...And you really think this will be of help to me?"

"Well, it worked for me. I came here as a kid to scream it all out, but as I grew up, it just wasn't enough. We can start off slow, shake off that princeliness with a little cussing. I know you've done it before."

"Yes, but only with close friends and when I am alone." Legolas muttered, reluctant.

Jupiter couldn't stop the grin from growing on his face when he heard him. He literally had just heard him curse at him, so that meant he considered him a close friend. Is his stomach suppose to be fluttering so much in such a short amount of time? "You can start simple, like 'damn'. It isn't really a curse in my opinion, but that's probably because I've said worse."

The elf still was hesitant, even when he was eager to be taken under Jupiter's wing to be un-princed. There were still lingering nerves within him that unwillingly stayed from years of discipline in etiquette. He tried to open his mouth to at least say the word normally, but no noise came out and he snapped his mouth closed.

"Hey, we're so deep in the forest that no one can hear us, not even when you scream like a banshee. It's only you and me." Jupiter reassured him.

"...Damn."

The red head brightened, smirking when he heard the mutter and gave his arm a friendly jab with his elbow, "There ya go! Do it louder."

" _Damn_."

"Yeah, c'mon, be a little diverse. Fuck all that prince bullshit. Right here, right now, you're  _Legolas_."

Legolas looked at his companion, his uneasiness immediately washing away when their eyes met. It was just the two of them. Just Jupiter with him, the man who would never judge him. The man who was encouraging him to break free from those invisible ties holding him down, to speak his mind for once in his life, and never in all of his years has he felt such yearning to one day help him do the same. To... to allow his heart to scream out a profession rather than a curse.

"Yes, you are right, I'm tired of this... of this  _prince_  bullshit!" The elf lifted himself up until he was standing and putting weight on his good leg, Jupiter quickly following along, "Why must I be told what I shall say? Why must I be told when I shall speak? I understand that it is my duty, but why must I deal with this... this  _shit_  each and every day when in my realm?"

He looked at Jupiter fiercely, "I am my own person!  _I_  will choose what I will do in my eternal life!  _I_  will choose who I will include in it! It is not right that my father has all of this control over my life, for I am no longer a naive elfling!" He shouted passionately, aiming his anger and frustration to everything around him, "I am not just a prince, the son and heir of Thranduil Greenleaf, I am  _Legolas_."

Jupiter stared at him wide-eyed as he panted roughly, taking a few moments to let his words sink in before saying, "Woah... That was pretty intense. How do you feel?"

"I feel..." A breathless laugh escaped him and he met the man's gaze, "The way I had felt when I left my home of my own free will. Each time that I have defied my father... I felt free." He took a hold of his hand again, having let go of it in the midst of his shouting, "I know that my father means well and that he loves me dearly, but I cannot help but to feel trapped. Being under his command, it didn't feel right. But now..." His brows furrow as he scanned Jupiter's face, which poorly hid the happiness, pride, and admiration he held for Legolas. "But now..."

"Jupiter... Why did you kiss me?"

Jupiter's smirk faltered before falling completely, his expression becoming more reserved and unreadable. Legolas, though, felt his hand twitch in the way that it usually did before he scratched it, but the elf held on tight. Intentional or unintentional, he would not allow him to hurt himself. He shook his head slightly while sighing with frustration, "Legolas-"

"Do not lie to me or give me an excuse. I only wish for the truth." The elf said earnestly.

His heart sank when the red head pulled his hand out of his grip with a bit more force, taking a step back. Jupiter stared at him for a long moment with the same unreadable expression before roughly running his fingers through his hair, "Shit- Okay. Fuck it, I'll tell you since today is just full of goddamn confessions."

Jupiter plopped back down on the ground and Legolas quickly followed, scooting closer to both physically reassure him and to sate his need for his presence. He waited patiently as Jupiter drummed his fingers against his own legs as he gathered his thoughts, his face now twisted into a troubled scowl. After a long minute of silence, he spoke up without looking at him, "Promise not to freak out? Or... or make this weird friendship void?"

"What?" Legolas blinked owlishly and chuckled, "Jupiter, I will remain as calm as I can, but whatever you plan to say, I sincerely doubt that it will ruin our friendship."

A bitter laugh left him as he asked rhetorically, "Wanna bet?"

The calming smile that lifted his lips slowly fell, taking in every detail of the scientist that sat next to him. "Jupiter... It cannot be that bad."

"You want to know the reason why I kissed you." Jupiter stated, ignoring what he said, "Like I said before, I totally didn't mean to do it. I got lost in the moment and you were so- And I thought you were just- I was so happy, I-" He groaned a little too loudly, pressing his hands to his face and making his glasses askew.

"What I'm  _trying_  to say is-..." He took another deep breath in an attempt to calm his heart and the fear bubbling within him with no avail. "At the same time it wasn't an accident. I know you think it was just an overly friendly thing that I did, but it wasn't. It wasn't meant to be friendly, it was something that I've been wanting to do for... Fuck, I don't know, but it's a long time."

"Jupiter, are you... are you saying..."

"I'm into you. Like,  _really_  into you." Jupiter blurted out, quickly explaining, "I have not-so platonic feelings for you... And... And I know they're real. It's not like before with girls who I've dated where I thought the feelings were real. At those times, I had to convince myself that they were, but when I acknowledged that I liked you as more than a friend, I denied it. I didn't want it, but what I kept feeling for you grew stronger with every moment I spent with you and when I was in that stupid basement, I fully came to terms with it. I knew they were real when I wasn't fearing for my life down there... All I thought about, tied up and useless, was you."

Finally, he built up the courage to look into Legolas's wide, blue eyes. Hesitantly, he reached out and brushed a few strands of his blonde hair away from his face, being careful when he tucked them behind his pointed ear. Jupiter's heart melted when he saw and felt him instinctively lean into his touch along with a spark of hope, but he quickly crushed that hope.

"Don't get me wrong, I missed everyone more than I wanted to, but you... When I was away from you for that long, that far, with the possibility that I would never see you again?... I don't know how to describe it. When you are away from me... I-I..." He shook his head as he furrowed his brows, "I feel like an ocean with no life, a night sky with no stars, salmon roe sushi with no salmon roe..." Both of them couldn't help the little snicker at the last one, but Jupiter quickly composed himself, "Anything that you can think of without the most important part of it. What I discovered was that I felt incomplete without you."

He tapped his fingers on his own chest, "Something... something in  _here_. It felt like it was missing something, completely lost. I've never felt this before, Legolas, and I'll be honest with you, I'm fucking  _terrified_. Fuck what happened with that kidnapping crap, absolutely  _nothing_  can beat how scared I am right now."

Legolas remained in a stunned silence as he let this new information sink in until he finally questioned slowly, just to make sure, "You have romantic affections for me?..."

"Son of a- Why else would I kiss you? We were in a small ass closet, you were being angry and doing that adorable ass crinkle thing you do with your nose, and I'm a seventeen-year-old dude experiencing  _serious_ , _real_  romantic feelings for another being for the first time in my life. I think it was pretty obvious." Jupiter's eyes widen and his cheeks suddenly matched his hair, "Wait, wait, wait, forget that second part. Erase it from your memory right now."

Legolas, however, paid no mind to his command, "How long, Jupiter? How long have you felt this way?"

Jupiter sighed, running his fingers through his hair again anxiously, smiling bitterly as he remembered the many times he spent late at night writing on pieces of paper to a person he wasn't sure existed - yet cared for all the same, "Probably longer than you think possible. The real question is why you're not freaking out about this."

"I promised that I wouldn't. Trust me, I was not expecting this at all, I just do not know what to say..." Legolas whispered, again, wondering, what his heart wanted to desperately tell Jupiter. He took a shaky breath as he felt the same effects that Jupiter has put on him since they first properly began to spend time together. The warmth that traveled from his cheeks to the very tips of his ears, the uncontrollable pounding, the satisfying twists in his stomach, and the electrifying tingle he gets every time he touches him. Oh, that electricity was the strongest when Jupiter had kissed him and he wanted  _more_.

Damn it all! Why can't his heart and mind work together? Why must his mind reject what his heart professes?

"You're not weirded out about me feeling that way about you? Being gay and everything?" Jupiter quickly corrected himself, "And when I mean gay, I mean attracted to the same gender. Well- Not anymore, it's only you- I mean it's just- Okay, I'm gay, but- Fuck sake, you know what I mean!"

The ellon laughed hearing his stuttering, having never seen this nervous, honest, vulnerable Jupiter before. He reached out to reclaim his hand again, "I will confess, a person attracted to the same sex is nearly unheard of in Middle-Earth. They are outcasts, misunderstood in my eyes as they are ridiculed for something they cannot help. I understand now what they must feel when they hide themselves."

Yes... Now he remembers why he must hide it. Why his mind is so insistent on not allowing his heart to speak for itself.

"Jupiter... You know that one day I will leave and return to my home." Legolas struggled to say the next part immensely, "Even if I were to return your affections... Soon I will be worlds away. You and I are of two completely different races, you are mortal and I am immortal. It would simply not work, it would only hurt us both."

"I know." Jupiter said, having already accepted this fact. He didn't even look surprised when he pretty much said he didn't feel the same way, "You deserved to know though."

"And thank you for telling me." Legolas pauses, "You are aware that this changes nothing between us, correct? Because it appears that you do not trust me when it comes to promises."

The redhead rolled his eyes at his teasing, "I'm aware. If not, then you wouldn't be here with me still."

"Good." The archer turned his attention to the sun peaking over the trees, "It is getting late. It would be best if we return to the others before they worry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #sorrynotsorry
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	20. XX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There may or may not be some atheism in here. So beware if you get offended by stuff like that.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Oh, hey guys! I was just about to heat up some leftov-" Manny paused, "I suddenly sensed a shift in the universe. What happened?"

Legolas gaped at the woman, surprised by her swift catch of the change in atmosphere around both he and Jupiter. He glanced over at his companion who had remained quiet thus far just in time for him to say, "Friendzoned."

"What?" She furrowed her brows before they lifted up and her eyes widened, "Oh...  _Oh_. Okay, tonight sounds like a great night for chocolate chip cookies."

This caught Jupiter's attention, "Your grandma's recipe?"

"Of course, who else? Grandmas are the baddest biscuits around when it comes to cookies."

"Do you require any help, Manny?" Legolas asked politely, as per usual.

"Nah, you can go join everyone outside to train if you want. Actually, now that I mention it, Aragorn wanted to spar with you. After what happened, he doesn't want you guys to get rusty and wants everyone to spar more."

"Has he? Well, I suppose I shall take my leave." The ellon sent the both of them his usual charming smile, "Until supper, Jupiter. Manny."

The both of them watched as he continued on his way, heading back to the back doors. Jupiter's gold eyes never left his figure until he was no longer able to see him and returned his gaze back to Manny, who was looking at him as if he had three heads. He rose an unimpressed brow at her bewilderment, "What?"

"You're really deep in this, aren't you?"

He shrugged casually, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "What can I say? I'm smitten as fuck."

"I can tell." The brunette then dragged him into the kitchen, "Now while you deal with the hot stuff for leftovers, I'll deal with the cookie dough."

"Let me guess, I'm the one putting them in the oven."

"Hey, I'm not the one who barely flinched when they got second-degree burns after sticking their entire hand in an open flame." Manny pointed the wooden spoon she took out at him, "And don't think you're gonna get away with being alone with me, and not telling me what happened out there."

Jupiter sighed loudly as he opened the fridge to take out the leftover ratatouille that Manny demanded him to make upon seeing the movie Ratatouille with everyone. As he prepared for it to reheat in the oven, he gave her the short version of what happened at the cliff, making it all straight to the point mostly for his own sake. Even though it hurt to tell her what happened, it gave him a strange kind of relief. Manny always had that effect, even when he first met her. She may be bubbly and talkative, but when it was just the two of them and she knows when Jupiter needed a little venting, she always listens.

"I think I like Frodo." His best friend broke him out of his thoughts with her sudden announcement and he simply looked at her, "Like...  _like_ , like him."

"Uh-huh."

"Your lack of response worries me."

"Manny, you  _are_  aware that I've known you had the biggest crush on Frodo since the very second you saw him on screen when you were twelve?"

"What! I did not-"

They were both interrupted by knocking on the front door, their heads swiveling towards the direction of it. "Expecting anyone, sweet-cheeks?" Jupiter asked, seeming not too worried, but remained on edge.

"Nope." Manny set down the chocolate chips she was just about to pour into the cookie dough before taking off the apron, "I'll go see who it is. Don't cause any intentional fires, pyro."

"No promises." He sang as she left the kitchen, snickering when he had barely caught her flipping him off.

Manny sighed deeply as she quickly approached the door, hoping it's not some official that's working on the case with Ethan. Jupiter was already going through enough stress and he doesn't need something that's suppose to be over, coming back to him. Before she could even unlock the door, a voice spoke up behind her, "Manny, is it the... um-"

She turns to the worn out group that filed into the living room and shook her head at Merry, "Police? No. I have no clue who's out there, to be honest."

"I saw three people," Aragorn says. "One appears to be a child."

This only raised more questions for her, "A child? Okay, I can't take the mystery, I'm opening the door. Hobbits, shoes. Legolas, hair down. Make sure your weapons are away."

Instantly, although disgruntled, they all did as they were told. The elf frowned to himself slightly as he undid his braids and combed out his hair with his fingers to conceal his pointed ears, wishing that Jupiter were there to fix it for him like he usually did - again, craving his gentle touches. He winced when the thought crossed his mind, knowing that the touches they share won't be the same anymore. The guilt he has been feeling appeared again, doubling as he thought back to the look of acceptance and sorrow on Jupiter's face when he rejected his confession.

Legolas was dragged out of his thoughts when Manny made a gesture for all of them to be quiet before she unlocked the door and swung it open. Her eyes widen and jaw dropped when she saw the strangers. She opened her mouth to exclaim something, but was quickly cut off by a joyful squeal and a small figure colliding into her stomach, "Sissy Manny!"

"Holy- Oh my- Levy!" Manny quickly knelt down and returned the embrace wholeheartedly, eliciting another giggle as she picked up the child until she sat on her hip. She looked at the other two, "Chloe, when the heck did you get back to California?!"

"Well, someone's got to make sure their sister isn't doing anything stupid. And why didn't you tell everyone you moved out?! You're lucky I know Jupiter's address!"

"Yeah, well, here's the thing..." The brunette chanced a glance behind her at the both confused and surprised Fellowship, "There are some friends of Jupiter's from Arizona that came to visit and he offered for them to stay here since there's more than enough space. I hung out with them a lot and found out that it was a mistake getting the apartment instead of taking Jupiter's offer to move in with him."

"So it isn't just you and Jupiter here?" The man beside Chloe asked, crossing his arms with a raised brow.

Manny rolled her eyes, "I'm a legal adult now, suck it up. Now, are you gonna come in or not?"

Finally, all of them fully entered the house and came face to face with the Fellowship. Chloe looked completely different from Manny, instead of brown hair, she had coal black hair that was straight along with skin a shade lighter and hazel eyes. She was much older than the other girl, by at least five years, along with the green-eyed man that stood beside her, who had curly ginger hair that piled on his head and fell slightly to the nape of his neck.

The little girl that Manny held, who appeared to be five or six, had her older sister's black hair that reached all the way down to her lower back. Another feature of her's that she shared with her sister were big hazel eyes that stared at the men in wonder, her skin tone leaning more towards Manny's than Chloe's.

"Chloe, Daniel, Levy, let me introduce you to Lance, Anthony, erm... Freddy, Samuel, Barry, George, Mason, and Paul. Everyone, this is my big sister, Chloe, my brother-in-law, Daniel, and my little sister, Levy."

Chloe's brows rose, "Is it just me... Or do they look like-"

"They're hardcore Lord of the Rings fans." Manny told her quickly, "It would be easier if you just call them by their character names. They don't mind, Jupiter and I do it all the time."

"Okay..." Daniel blinked slowly, "So you're telling me that you've been living with a house full of men since you've moved out of your apartment?"

"...Yes?"

Luckily, Manny was saved by her best friend emerging from the kitchen, the first couple of buttons unbuttoned on his dress shirt and his tie draped over his neck, "Hey, Manny, I finished-"

" _Uncky Ju-Ju!_ "

Jupiter jumped at the squeal, gasping with wide eyes as he watched the girl wriggle out of Manny's hold and scurry over to him. He grinned the widest grin Legolas has ever seen from him as he knelt down and caught the girl effortlessly, swinging her around as she continued giggling gleefully before being sat on his hip, "Levy, oh man, it's been so long! Look at you!" He said excitedly, "You've grown more!"

"Yeah! Soon, I'll be taller than you, Ju-Ju!" She said smugly, grinning.

The redhead smirked widely, "Oh yeah? When?"

"When I turn five!"

He tried to hold back his snort, but his snickers still slipped out. Levy pouted, crossing her arms as Daniel approached them while Manny properly introduced her sister to the extra men in the house upon her demand, "Wow, it's been a year and she's still this happy to see you."

"That's 'cause Uncky Ju-Ju is the best." His daughter stated firmly.

"Hey, flattery isn't gonna get you anywhere." Her only response was an innocent smile towards Jupiter.

"When did you guys get here?" He asked Daniel after a moment, bouncing the little girl a little to keep her occupied.

The man gave a long sigh, "A couple of hours ago. I have some work to do over here so we thought it would be a good idea to check up on Amanda. Levy wouldn't keep still when we drove over here."

"Seriously?"

Daniel only smiled, his eyes softening when they trail over to the little girl - who's attention was captured by the mysterious group of men - "She looks up to you. You made an impact on her, and honestly, I still have no clue how you did it."

"Alright! Fine!" Chloe suddenly shouted, throwing her hands up, "You can stay with them, but I'm telling mom!"

Manny belted out a triumphant laugh and high-fived all of her friends, though it took Legolas a moment to do so since his attention was mostly focused on Jupiter.

* * *

"So," Chloe piped up from where she sat between her husband and Manny, dabbing her mouth with a napkin, "You guys aren't born in Arizona, right? It sounds like all of you come from the United Kingdom."

They all look at each other for a moment before Aragorn clears his throat and nods his head, "Yes, we... decided to travel to Arizona together and lived there for quite some time."

"What do you all do for a living?" Daniel asks as he plated himself seconds, "I'm a photographer so I get to go around the country a lot and take pictures of pretty much everything. It's been a while since I've been in Arizona though..."

"Aragorn and I teach swordsmanship." Boromir stated when he saw the other man struggling, causing Manny to let out a quiet breath of relief. "Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry all share a job at a... uh- restaurant! Gimli, here, he's a blacksmith, and Legolas..." He trailed off, having never been told whether or not teaching archery is considered a job like swordsmanship is, or a good one at that.

"I am studying bioenergetics." Legolas stated with a calm smile towards the couple, noting how Jupiter's head perked up from where he sat between him and Levy, having been distracted by the girl's stories she was babbling with a toothy grin.

"Oh?" Chloe rose an eyebrow, looking unimpressed, "So you're interested in the same science mumbo-jumbo as Jupiter."

His lips twitched at her words, keeping his kind smile in place, "Yes. He's been kind enough to help me further expand my studies, and has taught me a wide variety of other things, including his own private studies."

She snorted, "You can stay in the same room as him and talk about science without getting pissed off? Impressive. I can't even do that for two minutes without him being disrespectful."

Everyone, including Daniel and Manny, was shocked by the hidden aggression in her voice, "Am I missing something here... or?..." Her little sister trailed off, thoroughly confused as she watched Jupiter's lips stretch out into his infamous mischievous smirk.

Legolas recognized the smirk. After being around him for so long, he has put them into two groups. Good and bad. This one was most definitely bad, "Jupiter..."

"No, no, it's alright." He draped his arm around the chair of where Levy sat beside him, staring back at his best friend's big sister, "I want to hear what she has to say. Go ahead, Chloe. Lay it on me. Was it because of how big of a-" He briefly glanced down at his adopted niece, "Piece of crap I am? Or was it when we were having an 'intellectual' conversation and you came to the sudden conclusion that I'm way ahead of my time?"

" _No_." Chloe nearly slammed her fork back down on the table as she stood up quickly, "I don't care about all of that, that happened a long time ago, you  _damned_  atheist."

" _Woah!_ " Manny stood up as well, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder, "This is why you hate him so much? Y'know what, doesn't matter, just calm down, sis."

The Fellowship, again, looked amongst each other, wondering what an atheist was. Instead of asking, they kept quiet and listened as they remained tensed and ready for whatever is about to happen. They all snapped their heads back to Jupiter when he snorted and said, "I should have known it was because of that. Hey, it's not my fault I wasn't born into a crazy religious family that frightens children about sin and Hell."

"Mom and Dad only showed us the truth!" She said hotly, "How dare you disrespect the Bible  _and_  God!"

Jupiter's smirk dropped and he too stood up, overpowering her glare with his own easily, "You obviously don't know me that well, Chloe. I don't care whether or not I disrespect something that another person believes should be respected. I simply do not care. I'm open-minded to the possibility of some kind of god existing, but all of that, 'Let there be light.' bullshit? How can I possibly trust the damn Bible? How can I possibly trust God? They haven't done shit for me that proves that they're fact."

"Why you-"

"And you know what I think this is really about? I think this is about the fact that you can't accept that people have their own opinions and you can't spread your Jesus-freakness onto other people that you consider abominations. Get off your imaginary throne, grow the fuck up, and quit being a prissy, hypocritical bitch to everyone and your family. Oh, by the way, just to put the icing on the cake, I'm gay, so you can shove the Bible right up your-"

Before anyone can react, there was a blur of movement from an enraged Chloe along with a chair scraping against the floor before everyone else was up on their feet, realizing a little too late that the woman was going to strike Jupiter. They were both relieved, and stunned, to find that Legolas had been the one to stand up before any of them and catch her wrist before her hand made contact.

Jupiter stared at the ellon in confused awe as he pinned her down with an eerie calm glower, stating with a noticeable strain in his voice to her, "Chloe, I must agree that Jupiter can be careless and tends to take no consideration to what another person feels when he speaks most of the time, but I also find that you, in particular, deserve it the most."

Manny paled as she watched and heard Legolas, equally as nervous as the others since everyone knew that Legolas would never speak to a woman he just met this informally unless he was furious. "I can care less if you are a guest in Jupiter and Manny's home and I can care less about your beliefs, but not only have you provoked a friend of mine, you also dared to intentionally hurt him. I will not tolerate anyone harming someone dear to me,  _especially_  Jupiter."

"Chloey..." Levy whimpered from where she sat, her bottom lip quivering, "You were going to hurt, Uncky Ju-Ju?..."

Chloe's eyes widen and her gaze softened tremendously towards her little sister, "Honey, no, of course not! I was... We were just playing!"

"I'm not stupid!" The little girl shouted, tears streaming down her face, "It doesn't matter if he was mean to you, you were being mean too! It's not right, Chloey!"

Jupiter looks down at her worriedly, "Levy?" Almost immediately, she reached up towards him and he swiftly picked her up, easily holding her light weight as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"No!" The woman ripped her wrist out of Legolas's grip, "Get your hands off of my sister!"

"Chloe!" Daniel, this time, spoke up firmly, "I think it's time for us to leave. It's obvious that we've overstayed our welcome."

"I don't want to leave!" Levy shouted at him, sobbing hysterically, "I wanna stay with Ju-Ju!" Jupiter breathed out a long sigh, quickly leaving the room whilst rubbing his niece's back soothingly as she desperately clings to him.

Manny took a deep breath through the silence after a few moments of listening to the sound of Levy's faint sobs. She then told her sister, "Chloe, I love you, but you're being a huge bitch right now." She held up a hand when she opened her mouth, stopping her from saying anything, "You started all of this, okay? You're lucky that Legolas stopped you because I would have slapped the  _shit_  out of you if you actually did it. Not only that, you made our little sister, Jupiter's niece, cry. Now, I'm going to say this next thing as politely as I can... Please, leave Levy here for the night so she can calm down and be stress-free while having quality time with Jupiter, our friends, and I, and get the fuck out of my house and stay out until tomorrow morning."

Chloe's jaw dropped upon hearing each and every word that came out of her sister's mouth, looking around at everyone else at the table to see that they all seem to agree, even her own husband, "Daniel, you're just going to stand there and not defend me?!" She said incredulously.

"She's right, Chloe. We both should leave, and while we're at it, we're going to have a long talk at the hotel."

"You're just going to leave my sister here alone with someone who barely knows how to take care of a child, a minor, and eight men we don't know?!"

"I do believe that your words mean nothing after what we all saw." Frodo said, crossing his arms.

Gimli nods his head, "It's best to let the young lass stay here. You would hav'ta drag her kicking and screamin' if you want her to leave. Not only that, she looked scared to death of ya after what you've done in front of her!"

They all winced when they all heard a wail from outside the back door and Legolas didn't hesitate to go follow after it, worry etched on his face. Chloe huffed, throwing her hands up, "Fine! I'll leave! Just make sure she doesn't go to bed too late." She told Manny before storming out, the front door slamming closed soon after.

Daniel looked at each and every one of them with a guilty expression, "I am so sorry. Chloe isn't usually like this, she's just been so stressed with continuing college and work, and-"

"I think that we can all agree that it is not your fault." Aragorn cuts him off, smiling warmly.

Boromir nods in agreement, "Her actions were uncalled for and the one who should be apologizing is her."

"And don't worry about little Lady Levy!" Pippin grinned, bouncing on his feet a bit, "We'll take great care of her!"

Merry nods his head vigorously, "Pippin and I have experience with wee' kids back home!"

Sam rolled his eyes, "I'm sure the lot of you caused a ruckus all day." His comment earned him indignant 'Hey!'s in response.

The man laughed, "Thank you. I'll bring in Levy's suitcase with her clothes and stuff, and then we'll be out of your hair."

* * *

Legolas emerged from the back door, stepping outside onto the back porch as the muffled sobs became both clearer and louder. His silent feet brought him over to the porch swing where his beloved friend sat with the little girl sitting on his lap, still crying with a red face and runny nose. The blonde watched silently from where he stood as Jupiter calmly wiped away her tears with his thumbs as she clung onto the front of his shirt. It was obvious that he was waiting patiently for his niece to calm down a little.

Once her crying eased down into hiccups and occasional sobs, he gently brushed away stray pieces of black hair, "Feeling better, bud?" He whispered gently, frowning when he received a rough shake of the head, "Talk to me, Levy. Tell me why you're so upset."

"Chl- Chloey, s-she..." She coughed and hiccuped again, causing him to return to rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her, "She was gon- gonna hurt you! A-And.. And you two were fi- fighting!"

"Levy, sometimes friends and family fight when they don't agree on something. And you know what? It's okay because eventually, things get better. They work together to get through it because they love each other." Both he and Legolas knew it was obvious that he did not even consider Chloe as family, but nevertheless, his words are true. "And there is no reason to cry about her hurting me because she didn't. My friend, Legolas, he stopped her before she could."

"But she was going to." She whispered weakly, sniffling.

"Yes and it was uncalled for, but it's over now. Do you still need to cry?" She paused before shaking her head. "Alright. Remember, it's okay to cry every once in a while. Auntie Manny does it every once in a while too and you know how tough she is. She helped you beat up all of the monsters in your closet that one time, didn't she?"

A giggle bubbled out of Levy and the scientist brightened up a little, using his sleeve to wipe away the remainder of her tears, "There we go! You shouldn't worry about me too much, I'm pretty tough too."

"Not to mention that you will be staying for the night, Lady Levy."

Their heads simultaneously swivel over to the elf who continued his approach, joining the both of them on the bench. He pulled out some napkins that he snagged from the table and handed them to Jupiter. The man gave him a thankful nod before turning back to the girl in order to properly clean up her wet face, smirking slightly when he saw how she was staring at Legolas.

"You're pretty." She blurts out once she was all cleaned up, although her nose stayed red.

Legolas chuckled, "Thank you. I don't think I was able to properly meet you before," He offers his hand. "My name is Legolas. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Levy."

After a moment, she allowed him to take her hand, but quickly pulled it away after he lightly kissed her knuckles, sticking her tongue out, "Eww! Now I have boy cooties!" She pouts when Jupiter bursts out laughing, giving him a big kiss on his cheek, "There! Now you have cooties!"

"Aw man, that's gross, Levy!" He wiped his wet cheek with a grimace before looking at the amused archer, "Don't be fooled by her cuteness, she's an evil little thing. It may or may not be eighty percent my fault."

Legolas rolled his eyes, his tensed shoulders relaxing as soon as Jupiter spoke to him as he usually would. "Of course it would be you that has turned such a lovely lady into a misfit."

"Shut up." Jupiter grumbled, "You said something about Levy staying overnight."

"Yes, both Manny and Daniel decided that it was for the best that she stayed whilst Lady Chloe regains control of herself. I dearly hope she doesn't treat you like that again, or else I will not be as civil as I had been before with my words."

"You got that right, and I promise that she's going to apologize for what she did." Daniel said as he came through the back door with something in his hand.

"Danny!" Levy shouted, hopping out of Jupiter's lap and right into her brother-in-law's arms. She laughed as she was picked up and kissed on the forehead, "Where's Chloey?"

"Chloe is still a bit mad so she's having a time out for a little while so she can calm down." He told her honestly, "Chloe and Danny are going to sleep somewhere else tonight so you can spend time with Manny, Uncle Jupiter, and their friends. Promise you'll be good?"

"I promise!" Jupiter snorted when he saw the girl cross her fingers behind her back, nearly bursting out laughing when Legolas whacked his arm with the back of his hand in a scolding manner for both laughing and encouraging the behavior.

"Okay, I guess I'll go now." He pressed another kiss onto her forehead before putting her back down. "Oh! I nearly forgot!" He went back inside for a few moments before returning with something in his hand.

Daniel walked over to Jupiter and handed him what looked like a small guitar case, "Chloe's mom found it in the basement a while ago. She thought it was Manny's, but she says that she sucks at ukulele and guitar... and any other instrument starting with 'c'. Apparently, it's yours."

"...I was wondering where this went." The scientist unclipped the case and opened it to reveal the small instrument. It was still in amazing condition despite the slightly dusty case. Just like how he remembered. "I let Manny borrow it so she can teach herself - which obviously failed - and I think we ended up forgetting about it somehow."

"You know how to play it?" Legolas inquired.

"Eh, not really. If I had put more effort into it I would probably still remember a lot. Right now I only remember a few chords." He shut the case, "Thanks Daniel. I owe you."

"Nah, taking care of Levy tonight is more than enough." Daniel said honestly, "Now, I better get going before you-know-who gets extra salty. See you tomorrow morning, Levy!"

"Bye, Danny!"

The second Daniel left the porch, Levy scrambled up onto the startled ellon's lap, making herself comfortable before whispering loudly, "I know who you are!"

"Uhm..." Legolas glanced over at his friend before turning back to her, "Who do you think I am, Lady Levy?"

"The elf prince!"

The both of them looked at each other.

Levy crossed her arms, "I'm not stupid! I saw you on TV while everyone was sleeping. Everyone else too! And I saw your ears when you stopped Chloey!"

"Nobody said that you're stupid, Levy." Said the scientist, "We're just surprised that you figured it out."

"You are very intelligent and observant for your age," Legolas stated, impressed. "It appears that your mischief isn't the only thing that you have inherited from Jupiter. You see, Levy, you cannot share this with anybody else, not even your sister or Daniel I am afraid. There is a chance that we will be in danger if our presence here is known."

"Oh..." She deflated, "Does Sissy Manny know?"

"Yep." Jupiter nods, "It's you, me, Manny, Legolas, and the rest of the guys."

"Hmm... Okay! It can be our special secret! I promise to keep it safe."

The redhead relaxed, having learned from experience that despite her being just a child, she made sure to keep important promises. She's definitely a smart cookie. "Good."

"Hey, Leggy, do all elves have pretty hair like your's?"

An amused smirk crawled up Jupiter's lips at the sight of Legolas cringing at his new given nickname. Unlike with Manny, he was unable to stop her from doing so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm learning ukulele so I thought it would be nice to add it into the story. :D
> 
> ALSO! Next chapter will be around 10K words, so prepare!
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	21. XXI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Grab a snack, this is gonna be a long one.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

It had only been half an hour since the incident during dinner. After briefly speaking to Levy, answering some of the many questions she had for him, he excused himself in order to go to the bathroom. As he was in there, he checked the wound on his leg and was satisfied to find that it was nearly completely healed, a big difference from when Jupiter had taken a look at it this morning. It was no wonder he was able to walk without a crutch without any pain, it was only a cut now.

He wished that he was able to make his own salve so it would have healed twice as fast, but unfortunately, this world did not have any of the herbs that Middle Earth had according to Jupiter. Even so, he was still grateful that Jupiter did his best to keep the wound clean and wrapped even though he was fully capable of doing it himself. Legolas sighed remembering when he would fret over his injury. It had been rather obvious that he blamed himself for it, but even though Legolas constantly reassured him that it wasn't, it never convinced him.

The ellon groaned, dropping his head in his hands. He's doing it again. Thinking about Jupiter. It's not like he hadn't done it before, but now he was much more aware of the concerning amount of times he has done so. The real issue is not knowing the reason as to why this has been happening, because he was sure that it wasn't only because of their... conversation at the hill... or the kiss in the closet.

Legolas took a deep breath and looked up, staring back at himself in the mirror. He must recognize that he feels something for Jupiter. Never in his long life has he felt such a need for someone to stay in it. To the point where if that someone were to be gone forever he- He does not want to think about what would happen.

All too suddenly, he began to understand what Jupiter was trying to describe to him at the cliff. How incomplete he felt. It took too long for him to realize, but Legolas had experienced this longer than he was aware of. He supposes it never came to light until Ethan had kidnapped Jupiter... Just thinking about it made his blood boil and his heart clench.

This must be why he was thinking of him so much, why he was so guilty, why he felt such... regret.

" _Dolle naa lost_." He hissed at his reflection. How can he ever do this to Jupiter? He tore his heart apart, forget his own cracked soul, Legolas can never forgive himself for hurting him like this! Every time Legolas looks at him, there was an urge for him to look away. Seeing the pain and heartache hidden behind his gaze brought grief into his heart.

It frightened Legolas. He had not been sure what to think after Jupiter's confession, even when the voice in the back of his head screamed at him to tell him to reveal everything that had been buried deep within him. Men had the tendency to love, forget that love, and abandon it. They get  _bored_. But Jupiter... When he looks into those golden orbs, he sees nothing but genuine adoration hidden behind the sorrow. It was strong and held firm, and it confused and scared him at the same time.

Legolas did not care anymore. He did not care if Jupiter is a male, he did not care if he is a mortal, he did not care. It was all too much. All of this denying of his own emotions, of what his heart truly wants and yearns for, it overwhelmed him and he can no longer fight back. Why did he  _ever_  fight back? This tenderness, this adoration for Jupiter was so satisfyingly sweet, yet so bitter.

He covered his mouth with his hand as he choked down a sob. It would all be in vain if he did have the courage to run downstairs back to Jupiter and profess everything that he has kept hidden, then kiss those delightful lips that had once pressed against his own. He still remembers how they felt, even when he had been frozen in shock, his body buzzing with warmth as he had tried to process what had happened. They were slightly chapped against his own due to the conditions he briefly lived in, and even without smoking and drinking for a while, he can still taste a hint of tobacco and liquor. All of those aspects sounds unsatisfying for a first kiss between the two, but it was perfect because all of those things purely made up Jupiter.

Legolas would give anything to experience that one more time. Just one last time before Jupiter discovers how to return them to Middle Earth. Now that he has accepted this, he must accept that once he returns and once this dreaded war is over - if he survives - he will fade. It is out of his control just as falling for Jupiter was.

The elf jumped when there was a knock at the door, "Legolas? Are you alright?" He heard Aragorn ask with concern clear in his muffled voice.

"Yes!" He withheld the urge to smack himself when he answered too quickly, his voice rough, "I'm alright, there is no need to worry."

There was silence for a long moment, "You are lying. I'm coming in, Legolas."

Before he had any say in his announcement, the door opened and closed quickly as Aragorn entered the bathroom. One look at his friend was enough for the ranger to stare at him in astonishment, causing the archer to laugh bitterly, "I know, I look terrible. A spectacular change, isn't it?"

"What happened?" Aragorn asked gently as he approached him.

Legolas remained silent as he blinked away the tears that built up in his eyes. He sniffled, his nose dusted pink from holding back his tears, "I... finally understand now. The sorrow that she feels, suffering from every thought of her fate. I can already hear my soul weep for its loss and I can feel it tearing with every thought of-" Again, he forced down a sob and took a shaky breath.

"Legolas-" The man's eyes widen when the elf shook his head before darting towards the door, but he managed to grab his wrist before he could leave, "Legolas, my friend, what in the world are you talking about?"

He kept his gaze downwards before slowly moving it back to Aragorn, whispering, "Now I know the torment Arwen endures."

The ellon tears away from his grip and leaves the bathroom, leaving behind a stunned Aragorn.

* * *

Jupiter couldn't blame the elf for leaving, it was getting a bit hectic.

Hectic, as in, Levy introduced the two troublemaking hobbits to the game of tag and now they were frantically chasing each other as the others trained. The hectic bit comes in when all of them barely pull their weapons out of the way before the giggling individuals were cut by a blade or shot with an arrow. After the second time of nearly getting one of their arms chopped off by Gimli's ax, Manny firmly told all of them to either play tag away from the other members of the Fellowship or don't play tag at all.

Eventually, though, they were distracted by the cookies that had just come out of the oven. And yes, Manny did demand Jupiter to take them out like she had planned. The redhead, on the other hand, silently ate his second cookie so far as he let Levy play with his fingers after she finished her own while she watched Boromir teach both Sam and Frodo on swordsmanship.

Levy hummed thoughtfully, "Do you know how to use a sword, Ju-Ju?"

"Nope." He managed to say around the rest of his cookie.

"Why not? Don't you practice with them?"

"No, I've never tried it, Levy. I never saw a use for swords when I already have my fists." He then looked down at her as if realizing something, "Don't tell anyone what I just told you."

She sighed dramatically, but nodded nonetheless. The little girl watched Boromir help Sam correct his stance before perking up, "Try it!"

"Try what?"

"Practice with them, duh!"

"That's not a good idea-"

Levy was already hopping off of the bench swing though, and running over to them, shouting, "Can Ju-Ju practice too?!"

Manny snickered from where she sat on the porch with Pippin and Merry as Jupiter pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh before standing up, following after her. The trio looked at the two of them with surprise clear on their faces, "Jupiter wishes to spar?" Asked the man.

"No, but I want him to." She smiled innocently up at him.

"Wow, I can't believe you run off to ask when I specifically told you that I didn't want to." Jupiter shook his head, not looking bothered at all by her actions. In fact, he was amused, "Besides, I don't know how to use a sword."

"But you just said you use your fists." She rose up her own, pouting as disappointment began to glimmer in her eyes and he winced at the sight.

"Well, you can also spar in hand-to-hand." Boromir says, "I will admit that I have been rather curious about how well you are in a fight."

"Who will he spar, then?" Frodo asks.

"Hm... Well, I know that Gimli is not adept in that area-..."

"I heard that!"

"-And I am more skilled in swordsmanship. I suppose Aragorn or Legolas would be best suited as an opponent."

"Speak of the devils and they shall appear." Jupiter said after looking over his shoulder upon hearing the back door shut close. He turns back to the man, "Thanks, but I think they have more important things to do than spar with little ol' me."

"We will not know the truth unless we ask." Boromir stated with a small grin as he motioned for the duo to come towards them. Jupiter turned around completely to greet the both of them, but he clamped his mouth shut as his eyes zeroed in on Legolas. There was something... off. Even though he wore a small smile as a greeting to them all, his usual bright blue eyes were dull. The scientist could care less if he was blatantly staring because when he got closer, there was a lingering pink tint on his nose and cheeks. There was definitely something wrong. Even Aragorn, who lagged behind, held a worried and slightly perplexed expression.

Before Boromir even got the chance to open his mouth again, Levy hopped over to them excitedly, "Ju-Ju wants to spar!"

"Again, you evil child,  _you're_  the one who wants me to spar, not me."

"I was going to ask the two of you if either of you are alright with sparring with Jupiter in hand-to-hand, seeing as the both of you are best suited?" Boromir said, ignoring the two youngest of the group for now.

Aragorn gave all of them an apologetic smile from beside the elf, "I'm afraid that I need to get back to training with Pippin and Merry. Legolas, are you feeling up to sparring with Jupiter?" He asked carefully, hoping that this will help distract the archer from what was troubling him so much.

If only he knew the source of his troubles.

Legolas snapped out of his daze and he instantly met the golden gaze that pierced straight through him. He tensed for a moment, nearly wincing when he registered the question. The last thing he needed was to be reminded even more of his predicament, let alone be around the source of it, but at the same time, he wishes to be as close as he can to the source despite the grief. He forced a smile as he nods, not trusting his voice.

"Yay!" Levy cheered, clapping her hands excitedly.

The two men of the Fellowship chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Let us go to the bench," Boromir said. "They will need all the space that they can get."

Jupiter didn't even acknowledge them as they turned and walked away to put a safe distance between them. He kept his eyes glued on the elf, who had switched his gaze to the ground. The scientist had absolutely no clue what brought this sudden change in Legolas, but whatever happened, it was bad. He tried to think up of theories of what could have caused the pain behind his eyes. Homesickness? An argument with someone?

...The cliff?

No, it can't be because of the cliff! Jupiter is the one that got hurt the most and it was understandable that Legolas felt bad about being the cause of it, but... The guilt couldn't possibly get him to this state. It was impossible. Unless- It can't be- No, that's just ridiculous. He made it very clear that anything further than friendship was never going to happen and he made some good points as to why it would never happen even if he did feel the same way. Shit, he's surprised he hasn't shed a single tear yet. Maybe it was because he has long since accepted it all. His own deep, romantic devotion for Legolas, the fact that Legolas would never return his affections, the fact that he would leave one day - everything.

He can figure out the cause of his distress later. For now, his main goal is to bring that enchanting smile back on his face, "So..." Jupiter allowed a smirk to stretch across his lips, "What are the rules? I've never sparred before so I fight as dirty as a pirate."

That, to his utter relief, got him a small twitch at the corner of his mouth. Legolas seems to correct himself, standing taller and carefully masking what he accidentally slipped, but it didn't work on Jupiter. He still saw everything. The archer cleared his throat, glad that when he spoke this time, it didn't come out as rough as it had before, "I personally do not have any limits, though I would appreciate that you do not go for my hair, and the area below my waist and above my thighs."

Jupiter nodded as he took off his glasses and pocketed them, "Agreed."

"And... um..." Legolas trailed off as he stared at the man. He had completely forgotten how striking his eyes are without his glasses and for a moment he felt dizzy, completely hypnotized by them. He shook his head slightly to snap himself out of it, "And... And no dirty tricks that you have so kindly warned me about. That's all, and you may go all out as well. Do you have any preferences?"

The scientist's smirk widens, "You may go all out too, my dear guinea pig, but avoid the face. Is your leg feeling up to the challenge?"

Legolas slid into a stance, raising his fists as he nodded, "I'm sure that it will be perfectly fine, Jupiter. You worry too much."

"Nah, I worry just the right amount." He copied him, "Let's get this over with."

* * *

"Okay, maybe I underestimated you just a tad bit." Jupiter admitted from where he was pinned on the ground with his wrists held to the ground firmly and an elf straddling his hips. His eyes lit up though when he quickly glanced down, swallowing thickly as he tried to ignore what this position was doing to him and using all of his willpower in order to not embarrass himself even more. "But I gotta say, I'm really enjoying the way you're sitting on top of me." He said lowly, practically purring out the words.

Legolas blanched, heat rushing to his face in an instant, "Wha-  _Excuse me?_ "

Within seconds, the ellon found himself on his stomach with a knee digging into his back and his arm pinned to his back as well, painfully stretching his shoulder. Jupiter leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Either you need to work on not getting distracted or I just got lucky."

The blonde involuntarily shivered feeling his breath brush against his pointed ear, squirming a bit. "You got lucky," He heard himself say. "You wouldn't be opposed to declaring this match a tie?"

"Hm..." Jupiter hummed thoughtfully before sighing loudly and letting go of him, standing up, "I suppose."

Legolas stared at the hand that was offered to him for a long moment when he turned over. He took it and was pulled up, but as soon as Jupiter let go of his hand and made his way to the others, he was quick to take a hold of his wrist. The man barely had time to react before a foot kicked the back of his knees to set him off balance until suddenly, he was skillfully flipped and was back on the ground with the wind knocked out of him.

Jupiter coughed, hissing in pain as he rubbed the back of his head, "Ow- You sneaky little bitch!"

The blonde grinned widely, seeming to be satisfied that he took him down a second time and kneeled down to dig in his opponent's pocket, pulling out his glasses. As he stood up, he slid the glasses on as if they were his, "It appears that I have broken the tie. I win."

Jupiter watched him begin to walk away, but even with an aching body, he wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. He scrambled up onto his feet, "Get your ass back over here!"

A yelp escaped Legolas when he was swept off his feet and was tossed onto the redhead's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Jupiter!" He gasped and demanded, "Put me down at once!"

The second he said that, another shout left him when Jupiter allowed him to slip for a split second before catching him again. Legolas lifted up his head with some of his hair covering his eyes, frustrated by the fact that he did not have his braids in his hair. "I don't think you'd want me to do that. This is payback for before, and don't think I forgot that time you carried me without my consent."

"You're  _still_  upset about that?!" Legolas shouted incredulously as he was carried towards the house, passing by their laughing friends. He was especially displeased by how much Gimli was laughing. " _Leithio nin, pe-channas_!"

"Of course I am. Do you know me?" Soon they were inside the house and Jupiter dropped the blonde onto the couch, who did not look pleased at all.

"You are profoundly annoying." Legolas stated bluntly.

"Rude." Jupiter muttered as he quickly checked the time, "Shit! I have work tonight! Ugh, I'm all sweaty and gross... I'm gonna take a shower."

"Wait!"

The man jumped a bit and skidded to a stop, turning around to look at the archer that was now sitting up on the couch, all irritation erased from his face, "Is it alright if we... If we go down to the lab when you return? It's just that- It has been a while. Especially with everything that has happened."

"Of course we can." Jupiter nodded, "You're always welcome down there. You're my favorite guinea pig, after all." He shot him one of his rare small smiles before rushing upstairs.

Legolas felt himself smile. And this time, it was no longer forced.

* * *

"So... He finally told you."

Legolas looked up from the bioenergetics book in his hands. Since Jupiter had already taken him inside, he thought it would be best to stay and relax for the rest of the evening in the living room while everyone entertained themselves outside. It had only been ten minutes after Jupiter left to have a shower and the elf was now sitting on the couch with the book after retrieving it from the lab where he had left it.

Then, out of nowhere, Manny had plopped down next to him and spoke to him after a few moments of silence. "You knew?" He asked, setting the book down on his lap to give her his full attention.

The brunette raised an unimpressed brow at him, "Yeah. What, you thought I wouldn't figure it out at some point? Took me a while, but once I did, it became painfully obvious that he was a goner. I've never seen it before..." Her eyes soften, "The way he looks at you... It's amazing. It's impossible for a human to look like that, but Jupiter is one unpredictable jerk, so at the same time I'm not surprised."

"Is it truly that deep?" Legolas whispered, unsure, "I trust Jupiter. I do, yet, I cannot help but feel doubtful... All throughout my life I have seen Men love another, get bored, and forget it. Jupiter is a man. How am I to know that one day he will do the same?"

Manny kept their gazes locked together, carefully assessing his blue eyes. If she had been any farther away from him, she wouldn't have noticed how teary-eyed he was right now. She took a deep breath, "You're right, you don't. But  _me_? I know damn well, honest to God, that everything Jupiter has told you will stick with him past  _death_. What he feels for you, will stay with him past death, past  _everything_. And- Jesus, the strength of it all is nothing a human is capable of having." Her eyes began to water as well, "What he has told you already isn't even the half of it. He has so many secrets, Legolas. So many secrets that he has always wanted to tell you. But after what you told him... He might never do it. For good reason too."

She watched him drift his gaze down to his book, staring blanking at the words in front of him, but not reading them. He was listening to each and every word she uttered, "I don't know much about romance, or relationships, or love. But from what I've seen and what I'm seeing now, I can tell you feel the exact same way, Legolas. I'm not a complete idiot."

"You never were an idiot." The ellon smiled wryly, "I'm... surprised you found out so quickly. Perhaps, before even I knew."

"You probably already know what I'm going to ask next."

"And you probably already know the reason as to why I lied about how I felt."

"Yep."

They remained quiet for a minute, letting their conversation sink in. Legolas looked at her again, "Thank you for telling me all of this. It was foolish of me to question what I have already seen with my very eyes."

"No problem. Just... Don't be fooled by how normal he's acting."

"I know."

"You are aware that this is just going to hurt the both of you, right?"

"It's... It's for the best."

"I get where you're coming from because of this whole falling out of my TV screen thing, Legolas, and I understand fully... But the both of us know that it's already slowly killing you." Manny didn't even allow him to respond to this brutally honest statement. She stood up and began making her way back outside to join everyone else again, "By the way, you're still wearing Jupiter's glasses. You might want to give them back before he hunts you down."

Legolas watched her leave through the back door, hearing the laughter and chatter from outside along with the clashing of metal. With a small sigh, he quickly composed himself and stood up with the book closed in his hand. He made his way up the stairs as he took off the glasses, surprised that he had forgotten that he had taken them during the fun he was having as he and Jupiter sparred.

There was a moment of hesitation before he knocked on the door, "Jupiter?" He rose his voice slightly in order to be heard.

"What?!" He heard his muffled shout.

"I came to return your glasses, may I come in?"

"Uh, yeah!"

Twisting the doorknob, he entered the bedroom. Other than when Jupiter had his... breakdown, this was Legolas's first time in his room. Now that he looked closely, the room was neither too big or too small, but it was slightly larger than the guest rooms. A roughly-made bed in the middle of the room, a bookcase filled to the brim with books against the wall, a desk with papers and a computer on the other side, and the posters that were ripped off the walls were covering the holes once again. The only noticeable change about the posters was that they were rough around the edges and the images on most of them were covered.

Lord of the Rings posters.

He felt himself relax. He couldn't help it, he felt tranquil in a way hearing the shower water running behind a closed door in the room along with the scent that clung to Jupiter drifting in the air. As Legolas wandered around the room, Manny's echoing words for now ignored, he set down the glasses on the desk. His attention was pulled towards the bookcase and he sifted through a few of them.

Half of the books were unsurprising, there were thick science books, action novels and even a couple that appeared to be horror. As he moved on, the genre of the books changed drastically. The rest of them were all romance or had something to do with romance. He plucked out one that seemed out of place among the other colorful book covers. The title read,  _The Peculiar Wonders of Love, Sexuality, and Sexual Orientation_. Unable to resist, he flipped through the pages and skimmed over a few of the pages. Perhaps this was how Jupiter discovered he was attracted to males rather than females? Or more specifically, in his words, Legolas.

The archer put the book back with his lips pressed into a thin line. He wants to read it, but Jupiter will definitely notice it missing from his bookshelf. Besides, he can't stay in his room forever, he only came here to return his glasses. Deciding to finally take his leave, he made his way towards the door, but not without nearly tripping over an object that he didn't see on the floor.

An elvish curse ripped out of him instinctively as he caught his balance, looking down at what he tripped on. Legolas breathed out a sigh and he picked it up so he can set it down for Jupiter, but the contents inside the object made him pause.

There were folded pieces of paper with a ribbon tied around each of them inside of a jar.

An unbearable urge to open it and take a peek took over him and it surprised him. It was an invasion of privacy and he has learned to respect that, to not be intrusive. He has never felt such an urge to do the opposite of that since he was an elfling and he tried to fight it, but... But he needed to. There had to be a reason as to why he felt such an urge.

Putting down the bioenergetics book, he opened the jar.

The very first thing he saw was an out-of-place folded piece of paper underneath one of the many neatly folded pieces of paper with a red ribbon tied around them. He took both of them out, setting the ribboned paper aside along with the jar before hesitantly unfolding the roughly folded paper. He was immediately met with Jupiter's handwriting and read the words written on it,

_I'm gay._

_That's why I couldn't find you._

_I kept dating girls, assuming that you were a girl, denying that voice in my head screaming at me that I'm making a mistake every time I ask a girl that I thought I liked romantically._

_Even when I found out for myself, even when I accidentally came out to my fucking best friend, I still denied it..._

_But now I'll accept it. Because it doesn't matter. It doesn't fucking matter to me anymore. It doesn't matter if you're a boy. Fuck what other people think, fuck everything._

_I'm so close to finding you, I can feel it, dammit. I keep having the same dream over and over again. What Mother had seen before she..._

_I know it's you. I just know it's you. It felt so real and true, and I don't care if you think I'm crazy. I'm a scientist, I shouldn't believe in things like visions and shit like that, but after all this time I just know it's all real. It's so hard to explain and I hope that you feel it too, because when you know, you just_ know _._

_But then I start to think and remember that this is real life... I start to ask the important questions._

_What if you don't want me? What if I still don't find you?_

**_What if you're dead?_ **

Legolas took a shaky breath as his hands shook. He can nearly feel the agony dripping from the dried ink of the last sentence and all he can think of are questions that kept multiplying in his head. They mainly consisted of, what exactly happened with his mother? What was the dream? What visions? And most importantly, who is he writing to? Who is he looking for?

Now, he was desperate to find out who this person was and why they were causing Jupiter this much pain. This has to be what Manny was talking about when she spoke of him having secrets, this person has to be one of the reasons why Jupiter is... Jupiter. He folded the piece of paper again and placed it back in the jar before picking up the ribboned one he had taken out beforehand.

He shouldn't do this. These letters... He has absolutely no right to be looking through them. They were extremely private to Jupiter and he hates himself for not having the will of stopping himself from untying the ribbon. He hates how his body moved on its own, his heart finally taking control of his actions and forcefully shutting out his mind's protest.

Carefully unfolding it, he read,

_Dear my One,_

_This will be my last letter to you. One of the many letters that you will never see._

_All week long was a cluster fuck of insanity. First, I figured out who you are, tried to drink away my issues like a dumbass, got kidnapped by some guy that's obsessed with me, eventually got saved, and now I'm still going through the process of going to court to testify - which isn't fun at all._

_I also did something really stupid while I was being saved._

_I kissed you._

"...What?" Legolas whispered, blinking owlishly.

_I know I shouldn't have, it was a spur of the moment kind of deal. I swear, I don't think I've been that terrified since Manny nearly died from her damn appendix bursting. After it was all over and I patched your gunshot wound - I'm still pissed at you for going alone and always will be - I tried avoiding you like the plague. Yeah, not smart, but I don't have a better idea. Every time you come to me to give me an update about your wound healing, I kept hoping that you wouldn't ask about the kiss._

_Even though I hate myself for kissing you and possibly ruining our weird friendship, I don't regret it. For the first time in my entire life, when I kissed you, I was... At peace. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel angry or sad anymore. I didn't feel hate towards myself or the world. I had never understood why most people enjoyed kissing because to me, it had felt strange. It didn't feel right, but after that kiss, I knew it didn't feel right because it wasn't you._

_I kinda want to tell you that I'm completely and utterly smitten with you, but I seriously don't. It would ruin everything._

_You are too precious for me to lose. Not this soon._

_Anyway, I guess the good news is that you're not dead and immortal, so that's a plus. You get to live a long and happy life, which I'm glad about. I finally found you and know who you are so that takes off a small weight from my shoulders. I guess that the only bad thing about this is that you don't return my affections._

_And also the fact that I'm going to die._

"What?!" Legolas nearly shouted, but luckily managed to keep his voice lowered. He had nearly dropped the paper upon reading that sentence and reread it just to make sure his mind didn't play tricks with him. Terror struck him immediately once he confirmed that he had read right and he tried to control his breathing as he continued reading,

_Remember what happened with the first girl that I had ever seriously dated? I had really thought she was you for some reason and when I found out she used me for my stupid status and got rid of me like some trash, I pretty much nearly died from the heartbreak. I know that sounds dramatic, but I literally almost died. In the hospital, wires hooked onto me, everything. Manny smacked some sense into me and reminded me that if it wasn't her then you had to be still out there, then I was as good as new in a few days._

_But this time, nothing will save me._

_If I'm lucky, once you're gone, I'll stay alive for a few more years... Finish up Dad's studies before I go. I should write my will and testament too at some point, which means a lot of paperwork._

_I hate to leave Manny like this. I want to stay and grow up with her until we're wrinkly prunes, then die from old age together. But... She understands. Even though she understands, I know she's going to try to save me still._

_I should be freaking out over dying when I've barely experienced more in life. Dying so young is a shame, but I've been over the impending doom. Doesn't mean that I'm not fucking scared shitless, though._

_I'm just relieved that Mother is right and that you exist. I guess you can say that I can now die in peace, as morbid as that sounds._

_I think it's time for vodka and Starbursts._

_Mostly vodka._

_\- Jupiter_

_#76_

"What the  _fuck_  are you doing, Legolas?"

Legolas jumped and he spun around, his hands shaking tremendously, "Jupiter!" He took in another shaky breath as his watery eyes grew wide, "I-... I-"

Before he could say anything else, the paper was snatched out of his hand and the scientist ignored the water in his hair dripping onto it as he skimmed through it. The elf watched silently as he saw how Jupiter instantaneously began to be filled with rage, his fingers clenching around the paper. The man, in nothing but boxers, looked absolutely terrifying when he somehow looked at him evenly with an eerily calm voice that Legolas rarely heard from him, "Did you read all of this?"

Legolas only nodded, unable to speak. "Did you read any others?" A glance towards the other one that he had set down beforehand was all he needed before he also picked it up and skimmed through it. His gaze darkened and he sighed deeply as he crumbled up both papers into balls in his hand, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was clenching his fist around it.

"These were extremely private, Legolas."

"...I know."

"Then why did you read them?"

"I... I don't know."

"One minute. You have one minute to come up with an excuse and explain yourself."

"I have no excuse." The ellon shook his head, meeting his withering gaze head-on, "I knew it was not for my eyes to see and I will confess that it was not the best idea for me to do it, especially when I decided to read another. I allowed my curiosity to make my decisions. That was wrong of me, and I sincerely apologize to you, Jupiter, for taking advantage of your trust like that... I-"

"I get it." Jupiter cut in, his anger decreasing into a simmer, "You didn't know. The jar is something that no one, but Manny and I, knows about."

Legolas nodded, slightly relieved that he wasn't being as explosive as he usually is when he's in a fit of rage. It was actually a miracle that he has kept this calm so far, and he has a feeling that the next thing he was going to say was going to ruin it. His curiosity was out the window, he  _needed_  to know now, "Those letters were for me. Weren't they?"

His friend tensed and clearly did not want to answer the question, but did anyway, "Yes."

Did that mean Jupiter knew that one day he was going to fall for someone? Permanently? He can think about that later, "You said that you are going to die."

"Yeah, I kinda wished you read a different one. It's a lot to take in at once."

He nods and he wanted to add in about how he understands what Manny meant about what he felt for Legolas being inhuman, but it was best not to bring her name into this mess. Legolas forced his tears to remain where they are as many emotions went through him. After reading those letters he's discovered how wrong his mind was. He should have listened to his heart's needs. Since the start of it all, he should have  _listened_.

"I was a fool. I should have trusted what you told me, I wanted to, but I have seen and heard too many stories and warnings of it going all wrong. I was fearful of my fate, yes, but I was more terrified of hurting you. Now, I find myself not caring about the warnings."

Jupiter blinked, "What are you talking about?"

"Even though I didn't know whether or not your confession was true and you wouldn't get bored of this tenderness for me, I shouldn't have said what I said either way."

"But isn't that what you want?" The redhead gritted out, "For me to get bored of you?"

"No, if you got bored of me with the little time we have together, I would make you fall for me again and again. Being around you for so long, I'm beginning to not give a care anymore. I'm becoming a selfish person."

"I have no idea what you're playing at right now," Jupiter's clenched hands shook. "But it's not funny and you're seriously-"

"I lied to you, Jupiter."

That shut him up.

"Everything that I told you was a lie. I lied about not returning your feelings." It felt like a huge weight was lifted off of his entire body and he allowed more words to flow out of him, "I focused more on our races, our genders, the situation that the Fellowship and I are in. I wished that I didn't because now that I'm aware of how I feel about you, why should that all matter? I thought that lying to you would make this suffering easier to deal with for the both of us, for you to move on as Men can do and won't be tortured for your loss. It is useless, though. Now I know that no matter what I do, you will still be in pain. You will not be truly happy..."

Blue meets gold, "I find myself wondering, why do I not care now? Why do I not care that if I act on my affections, the fate of my death is sealed? Then I realize that this has nothing to do with my acceptance of the loss of my life. I realize that I rather spend a year, a few months, even a few minutes with you as my other half than not be with you at all, even if it would hurt you at the end."

Jupiter was speechless. He could only gaze back at him, desperately searching for the tiniest lie in his words. Words that he has been wanting to hear for so long, words that he dreamed of that he knew would never come out of his mouth. But all he saw was truth in his words. Legolas's gaze revealed everything to him, every vulnerable aspect of him and without him knowing, Legolas had taken a step closer to him as he spoke. He suddenly felt like he was being suffocated, an invisible weight pressing down onto his chest as he swallowed hard, his eyes stinging. "This entire time?..."

Legolas nodded, "If giving up my eternal life is what it takes to be with you as my other half for such a short time, I will do it over and over again. You are worth more than my life."

The scientist quickly stepped away from him and shook his head sharply, his gaze hardening. His expression became furious, "No! No, you can't just  _do_  this shit to me!" He dropped the papers and brought his hands up to take fistfuls of his damp crimson hair, "You can't just... just fuck with my feelings like this!"

Legolas nearly walked up to him to take his hands out of his hair, and hold and kiss them when he heard the agony in his trembling voice. "I don't know what you expect me to do after telling me that, Legolas. Were you expecting me to say something cheesy, profess my love like some shitty Disney prince, and kiss you?" He laughed bitterly as he went over to his closet and ripped it open to pull out his work uniform, "This isn't some fucking fairy tale! You can't expect me to forgive you just because you told me all of that."

"I don't expect you to forgive me." The elf said calmly, although he did frown deeply, his own hands clenched similarly to how Jupiter's were.

Jupiter pulled on the dress pants and slid on the dress shirt, quickly buttoning them. He chuckled humorlessly, "I guess I understand what you meant by not believing me because I have some doubts. After reading my letters, you probably feel pity for me and became some fucked up Make-A-Wish! It would make sense that you're a damn good liar and telling me all of this because you don't want me to die."

"No!" Legolas bursts out, incredulous. Jupiter looked just as surprised as he was by his sudden loss of composure, "This isn't out of pity. It's true that I do not want you to die, but this has  _nothing_  to do with pity. This has everything to do with my selfishness and your happiness, and I will do anything to prove to you that this has nothing to do with sympathy. For you to see that I'm speaking nothing but the truth."

He paused from hurriedly tying his tie and he turned to the archer again, "I... know you're telling the truth. Just horrible doubts. Good things like this usually never happen to me." Jupiter grabbed his shoes, keys, and phone before walking up to Legolas and stopping in front of him. The blonde rose his hand to wipe away the tear that slid down Jupiter's cheek, but a hand grabbed his wrist before he could touch him, "I want to hate you." Jupiter told him quietly, "I want to hate you so much, but I just  _can't_."

And then he left.

* * *

Jupiter's boss forced him to leave work two hours into his shift.

He didn't want to leave, he actually planned on taking an extra shift, but she literally pushed him out the door and told him to get some real rest before coming back.

He was fully aware that he was trying to avoid going home, or more specifically, seeing Legolas. Jupiter was ashamed of himself for blurting out those things to Legolas, for being so harsh on him. Legolas was only trying to protect him.

Jupiter took a drag from his cigarette from where he sat on the swing in the park. He had long since stuffed his tie in his pocket because seriously, he was getting sick of wearing tight formal clothes all day long, but he had more important things to worry about.

After he was kicked out of the restaurant, he at first drove aimlessly, no destination planned until his eyes caught sight of the empty park. By that time it was completely dark apart from the street lights, and any sane person wouldn't have gone anywhere near the creepy area. Jupiter being Jupiter, walked straight in fearlessly, claimed a swing, and after an hour he was on his third cigarette.

The scientist knew that he needed to apologize to Legolas, but he wasn't sure how.

"Oh, man, more girl trouble?"

"Jesus fucking!-" Jupiter grabbed onto the chain of the swing, having nearly fallen off of it from the fright. "Son of a bitch! People need to quit sneaking up on me!"

"Definitely girl trouble, then."

He looked up to see the person who thought it was a good idea to talk to him now of all times, but he was surprised to find that he recognized the woman in front of him. "You're the chick that did my tattoo."

"And you're the guy with a shitty ex-girlfriend." The woman with multicolored hair stated as she plopped down on the swing next to him, decked out in a punk outfit that vaguely reminded him of Chloe in  _Life Is Strange_. She eyed the white stick that was held between his fingers, "That's going to kill you someday."

"Well, I better enjoy it while I still can." Jupiter shrugged, not caring much. He decided against telling her that he'll be killed by something sooner than the cigarettes that were surely damaging his lungs. "Genna, right?"

"I'm surprised you remember. How's the tattoo?"

"Healed perfectly. Thanks again for it, I appreciate it."

"No problem."

The scientist relaxed, glad for some... normalcy. He didn't expect their small conversation to be so easy, it made some of the tension leave him. Not even the silence was awkward or anything that wasn't calming. It was perplexing since he has only talked to her once during a tattooing session about him being a potentially confused gay.

Genna breathed out a sigh after a few minutes, seeming fed up, "So are you going to tell me what you're doing here in a closed park?"

"I should be asking you the same thing."

"I was on my way to a shop, saw a light over here, and decided to investigate. Your turn."

Jupiter pinched the bridge of his nose as he grumbled, "You're nearly just as annoying as my best friend." He straightens up and took one last drag before dropping the cigarette, and crushing it under his foot. Breathing out the white cloud roughly, he said, "It's a long story. Want the short version?"

"I'm fine with either, that shop isn't going anywhere, so I'm all ears."

"Where do I start..." He muttered, "Well, after I got that tattoo, I got arrested for getting into a fight with my ex-girlfriend's step-brother - aka the one she slept with - in this very park, figured out that I was gay, and came out to my best friend after she bailed me out and became a demon."

"Woah, woah, woah, pause." She held up her hands, "First off... I knew it. My gaydar never fails me. Second, my parlor is nearly a ten-minute walk from here. You're telling me you got into a fight  _that_  quickly? And more importantly... Did you kick his ass?"

"Yeah, I was kinda surprised too when he popped up. And yes, I did, including his three dumbo friends, but I couldn't finish him off before a cop tackled me." He then continued his story. He explained what happened afterward. The whole appendicitis scare, the lake, the denial, the kidnapping, and the kiss. He glances over to her, "Were you able to keep up with that?"

"What. The. Fuck."

"I know."

"Just... just how?" Genna shook her head, " _You_  were the one that got kidnapped by that psycho on the news? You have the worst luck, dude. Seriously, I'm surprised you're still sane after all of that shit! Is your friend alright after getting shot?"

"Yeah, he's tough and heals quickly so it wasn't anything life-threatening."

"Huh, I guess the only good thing that happened was that kiss."

"Nope. Nope, absolutely not."

"...He's straight, isn't he?"

Jupiter fiddled with his rolled-up sleeves, "I panicked after I kissed him. I had... I just missed him so much and he was so mad at me for scaring him... I never explained to him why I did it. At the time he probably thought that it was just an overly friendly thing, but I eventually told him the truth after avoiding the subject for a few days. I told him how I felt. How he's the first to... that I..."

"That you've fallen in love with?"

He visibly cringed, "I don't like that phrase. It's more than that, it's  _real_ , it's completely inexplicable."

"I think I understand-"

"No, you don't." He smirked bitterly, "You can never understand until you have experienced it yourself, but who knows? Maybe you have and you do understand."

"...So what happened next?"

"He basically rejected me. Wasn't surprised, but it hurt like a motherfucker. Then later that day, after a small bit of my best friend's family decided to visit, I went to take a shower and get ready for work, but when I came back to my room, I found him looking at something extremely private of mine. I got pissed. He was really apologetic and I understood why he had done it... Then he drops the bomb on me that he lied about not feeling the same way."

Genna looked like she wanted to say something considering that she was biting her bottom lip to keep from grinning too much. He couldn't help but widen his smirk slightly for a moment, a burst of giddiness coming from his chest remembering Legolas's words, "I got even more pissed. I said some stuff that I regret saying and I left. Now, I'm here wallowing in my own despair."

"What in fuck's name are you still  _doing_  here?!" Genna suddenly screamed at him, shooting up to her feet, "You literally just told me that the dude you want to get romancin' with feels the same! You need to go back, kiss the shit out of him, and tap that ass!"

"You have no clue how much I want to do that right now, but I was such a dick!" Jupiter told her, throwing his hands up, "I mean, I'm always a dick, but that's not the point! I can't face him after saying all of that shit! I just feel so bad and I don't know how to apologize."

"How long has it been since you left?"

"I don't know, probably around four hours?"

" _You left him there for four hours?!_ " She screamed again, "Do you have any idea how he might be feeling right now? I bet he feels like complete shit! Think about it, you said all of those things, left, and for four hours he's probably been overthinking what had happened. Do you see why I'm panicking for you, right now?"

Jupiter's face went pale and he felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead, "Jiminy.  _Fucking_. Crickets."

"Yeah, I think it's time for you to think up of something quick."

The redhead went silent, grazing his nails over his other hand as his mind rapidly filed through his memories. If he was going to apologize, he wasn't going to half-ass it, he was going to show Legolas that he means it. Legolas deserves nothing less than that... Now, more than anything, he wanted Legolas to be his. Now that he knows that he has a definite chance, he won't give up. He won't give up again.

Genna broke him out of his thoughts, "You just got an idea, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I... I-" Jupiter quickly stood up, "I gotta go. Right now. Thanks for the chat." He said hurriedly before running out of there, nearly crashing into his motorcycle. Genna watched as he hopped onto it and started it up before driving off at a dangerous speed.

* * *

Jupiter stood in front of his own house door with his hands full and his brows furrowed. It was a miracle in itself that the objects in his hands had remained in perfect condition through the motorcycle ride. The ride to his destination and then back home without a helmet had made his hair look messier if that was even possible, and the fact that his clothes are wrinkled along with his dress shirt being unbuttoned more than necessary, he looked as if he had a really rough night. Well, he  _has_ , but not the way most would think.

"Okay... Okay, just no thinking about it. Just do it." He murmured to himself before he shifted the items so they're cradled in one arm in order to unlock the door. He kicked the door open lightly and quickly entered, shutting the door.

He pocketed his keys and hid the items behind his back, taking a deep breath. Jupiter walked further into the dark house quietly with relief at the sight of the empty living room. Everyone must be asleep, which is a perfect time to do this.

The scientist was about to make his way towards the back door where Legolas usually is when everyone is sleeping, but he skidded to a stop halfway there. How did he not notice the light and the sound of running water from the kitchen? As he inched closer to the doorway of the lit room, there was also the sound of glass lightly clinking together.

Without any further hesitation, he stepped inside and froze. There Legolas was, standing in front of the sink with his hair tied back, washing the dishes. It looked like he was almost finished with them. Well... Now Jupiter really knows who has been cleaning the dishes, hah, he can't believe he thought Manny was doing them this entire time.

Jupiter watched the elf sigh deeply as he finished off the last plate, setting it on the rack to dry with the rest of the dishes. He turned off the water and dried his hands with a frown etched on his face. Even though even more regret shot through him at the sight of his troubled face, he found the strength in him to clear his throat loudly to catch his attention.

Legolas flinched and quickly turned to face him. He gaped at the disheveled man standing awkwardly at the doorway, his sharp eyes glancing down at his exposed chest before snapping them back up once he registered the heat rushing to his ears. "Jupiter, you're... you've returned." He held back a wince. Usually, it was effortless to start a conversation, but now of all times, he was having trouble doing so.

"Yeah, I'm back... I should have come home earlier, though."

"Did you not have work?"

"My boss told me to go home early after a couple of hours."

"Oh..."

They stood there in silence for a long moment until Jupiter got sick of it, "Legolas, listen." He walked towards his friend until he stood in front of him, "I was being a heinous ball of shit earlier."

Legolas's eyes soften, "Jupiter-"

"No, please, let me finish." Jupiter pleaded and he took a deep breath when he gave a hesitant nod, "Those things I said before, even though I was mad about you reading those letters, it wasn't right. I had thought about the whole fairy tale and Make-A-Wish thing I said, and it was fucked up. At the time I didn't think I was being so... so cruel until it was too late. I wasn't even mad anymore about the letters, I was just worried about you and I wanted to come back to fix this as soon as it clicked, but I just couldn't. I didn't know if I could look at you in the eye without seeing those tears in them..."

The redhead revealed what he had been holding behind his back, offering the gift to him, "I'm not great with apologies. I rarely do it and when I do, I do a shitty job. But this time I'm really trying not to fuck it up... I know that giving you this won't fix anything." Jupiter watched him carefully take it out of his hands, "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Jupiter..." Legolas held the bouquet of roses that was being held together by thin white paper along with a ribbon tied into an intricate bow around it. He smiled slightly at the sight of Jupiter's favorite chocolate bar dotting throughout the flowers - he had mentioned that he rarely had it since it was expensive, so it was surprising to see so many of them in the bouquet, "There is no need to apologize to me. It was my fault, you had every reason to be furious and because of that it drove you to say those things."

"Even so, it still wasn't right. I basically told you that what can come out of this will never happen after lying to me - which isn't true - and that you only told me that you lied because you felt bad that I was gonna die. I was... I was scared, Legolas. I was doubting you and I was afraid that you were only telling me that you were lying because of the letters. I... I didn't want you to feel obligated to try to save my life or something by saying that."

"I forgive you, Jupiter." Legolas says quickly, seeing how he was struggling to explain how he had felt, "And I hope that one day you can forgive me for taking advantage of your trust."

"Are you talking about the letters? Legolas, I forgave you the second you looked at me!" Jupiter laughed a little, "I mean, I was still pissed, but I'll always forgive you."

If the elf wasn't crying before in the room, he was now. Now, he just let it all out. Jupiter immediately panicked at the sight of the tears rapidly flowing down his cheeks, his grin dropping, "Shit- Why are you crying? What did I do? Did I do something wrong? Fuck, I'm sorry-"

"I'm just happy, you dimwit!" Legolas laughed through his tears, allowing the man to wipe them away with a napkin he snagged from the counter. "I had been so worried that you were still angry and that you would never want to... want to..."

"Want to what?"

His voice was barely a whisper as he answered, "Court me."

Jupiter's eyes widened and he gaped at him. He quickly shook himself out of his stupor, "Wait,  _what_?"

"I wish to court you, Jupiter Holo."

The scientist didn't say anything for a concerning amount of time. He seemed to be in a state of shock and was still processing what Legolas had just told him, "I want to kiss you so badly right now."

Legolas grinned amusingly, "I am going to presume that you wish to court me as well."

"I do, but are you sure that  _you_  want to? You told me that-"

"Jupiter, I rather spend a day with the person that has taken a hold of my heart than not at all. If giving up my immortality is the price, then so be it. I will tell you now, and I will tell you again, I no longer care. You are everything to me."

Suddenly, the bouquet of flowers was taken away from him and set aside before hands came around him to grab the edge of the counter from behind him, successfully trapping him. Then, just as quickly, lips were pressed against his own. Legolas melted into the kiss instantly as his hands reached up to grab the man's shirt in order to pull him closer.

This time, the taste of tobacco was much more prominent and for some reason the elf enjoyed it. Legolas has never kissed anyone throughout his long life. Ellons such as he were expected to start courting years before, but he never found the time or an elleth that did not seek him for greed. Even if he did find a seemingly perfect elleth to court, it still would not have felt right. The thought or idea had never felt right.

Legolas felt the hair tie being removed from his ponytail and he shivered as fingers ran through his blonde hair. Not exactly sure of what he was doing, he moved his lips against the other's and it was quickly encouraged. A sense of pure relief and a simultaneous thought of 'finally' went through them as they kissed, immersed in the pleasure.

The man in front of him was quick to wrap an arm around his waist to hold him up when he felt his knees buckle. Legolas was amazed by how easily this person can make him weak in the knees in mere seconds with a simple kiss. His hands tightened around his shirt as his mind began to cloud and all he could think was that he needed  _more_  of Jupiter-

Jupiter was the one to break the kiss, although reluctantly. He pressed his forehead against Legolas's and closed his eyes, "I'll tell you everything. Not now, but at some point, I'll explain those letters."

"Take your time. Tell me when you are ready." Legolas responded once his mind cleared, cupping his cheek and giving him a chaste kiss, "I have been wanting to do that for quite some time now."

"Well, I sure hope so." Jupiter opened his eyes, smirking, "How does hanging out in the lab sound? Like old times?"

"That sounds nice, but... One more kiss?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dolle naa lost.: Your head is empty.  
> Leithio nin, pe-channas!: Release me, idiot!
> 
> (Keep in mind that I'm not sure whether or not these phrases are correct, I find them from multiple websites.)
> 
> FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY! Over 10K words!
> 
> This has to be the chapter that I enjoyed writing the most so far. Not only because of Jupiter and Legolas courting now, but because of how everything that they have experienced so far has come to this point.
> 
> Not only that, now you know what that gibberish was. :D
> 
> Thank you to all of those who have been following this fanfiction and gave me their support!
> 
> I hope you're ready for many more chapters! This fanfic isn't even close to being finished. :D
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	22. XXII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Just a reminder, most of the science crap I write is fictional, though I do a lot of research to make it seem real. Even so, there are many statements throughout this fanfiction that is real and fact, for example, the appendicitis chapter.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter was on cloud fucking nine.

Even though yesterday was rough at the beginning, it didn't matter. Legolas was finally his.  _His One_  is finally his. Suddenly, all of that waiting and pain through those years he was searching was worth it. Although, it would have been nice to know that his One was a guy... And from a completely different world... And not human.

Last night, when he and Legolas went down to the basement, they returned to what they usually did late at night. Jupiter had asked him about the whole bioenergetics thing he had said during dinner and was told that he had been reading the book about it. This, of course, sucked him into a proper lesson about bioenergetics and instead of the blackboards being used for his research, he used them for teaching.

Legolas had stood next to him the entire time, watching and listening intently. Jupiter wasn't surprised by how he soaked in the knowledge quickly considering that Legolas learns a lot just from watching him work on research for their return to Middle-Earth. Of course, while the blonde was close to him, he took every chance he got to touch him. A simple brush of the hand, a peck on the cheek when he answered a question correctly, all until it escalated to wrapping an arm around his waist as he spoke. The only sign that Jupiter showed when he noticed him blushing was a widened smirk.

Sadly, it had been cut short when the elf noticed how much he was yawning and demanded he go to sleep. Legolas had grinned the entire way through their journey to Jupiter's bedroom due to the mortal clinging onto him and whining that he didn't want to go to bed yet. "I thought Manny is the one who acts like a child. I'm astonished that you are not being mature about this." Legolas had told him, not minding the slight weight put upon him.

"But I wanna spend more time with you..." Jupiter had slurred, the lack of sleep finally catching up to him tonight. Even though he was a bit of an insomniac, he has never bothered to officially confirm it, there were always those rare nights in which he easily goes to sleep after going too long without it. In other words, passing out. Manny had learned quickly that when he was dead tired, he tended to have no filter when speaking thoughts... His more hidden thoughts, that is.

The archer had simply smiled warmly at his words and Jupiter was awake enough to catch the sparkle of joy in his blue orbs, "Aye. I do as well, but you need rest, do not think I haven't noticed your sleepless nights." He stopped in front of the bedroom door, "Once you awaken we can spend all day together."

Jupiter nodded slowly and Legolas found himself kissing the scientist. Although it would seem like a few minutes for the man, it will be hours until the elf will see him again. This time, Jupiter was the one who was blushing. It still amazed Legolas how the man can be confident in showing affection and then the next second he turns shy when he receives it. It was in every way precious.

Fortunately for Jupiter, his body managed to wake up at the earliest it can and when he did, instead of muttering curses, he hurriedly got out of his bed without disturbing Manny and rushed into the bathroom to do his morning ritual without complaint. His entire body buzzed with excitement, to the point where he even tried singing in the shower - he had swiftly stopped upon hearing his own voice echo back into his ears. Now he understood why people hated hearing themselves sing, good or bad. He couldn't tell if he was either, but he's never doing that shit again.

The shower was quick along with the rest of his routine. As soon as he opened his closet, though, he came to a sudden revelation...

He doesn't know what to wear.

Jupiter wanted to look good for Legolas. Well, Manny always tells him that everything in his closet makes him look good, but this was  _Legolas_... Dear God, this has to be the first time in his entire life that he has cared about another person's opinion on his appearance.

Fuck it, he's going to wear his t-shirt- no! His button-up. The black one. Manny has taught him well to never wear clothes the same color as your hair unless you have black hair. Now he'll roll up the sleeves to just above his elbows - Ryan Gosling would be proud - and now he'll wear his denim jeans- no! He'll just go all black, Manny always told him he looks extra classy in all black, so he'll just wear the black jeans that are ripped and just tuck the end of his shirt in it... Then... Then he'll wear his black high top shoes!

Jupiter looked at himself in the mirror of his closet door as he looped a plain black belt through the holes of his jeans, quickly securing it. He examined himself up and down, straightening every little thing that was out of place. He even attempted to calm his wild hair, but he soon gave up. He usually never wore anything like this. He usually never gave a shit what he wore unless he was pretty much forced to or if it were required. His clothing usually consisted of a hoodie over a t-shirt that had a meme or band on it, and either jeans or sweatpants.

Right now, he was rather impressed with himself for actually putting effort into what he wore. Since he was in an unnaturally good mood - for good reason too - he winked at his own reflection before leaving the room. The redhead took a peek into the room where Levy was sleeping - Gimli was kind enough to offer his guest room and share the troublemakers' room for a night - and was satisfied to see that she was still asleep in her pajamas, cuddled up under the blankets with her arms wrapped around a stuffed animal.

Closing the door, he sped down the stairs. Luckily, he didn't have to look far for his... Well, Legolas wasn't his friend anymore. Lover doesn't quite fit either...

His other half. His One. That sounds much better.

He didn't have to look far for his One. The ellon was standing in front of the window next to the back doors, tending to a pot of roses. Jupiter smirked as he approached from behind him. He had told Legolas where he can find a pot and the soil used specifically for caring for flowers - he had used plants at some point as part of his limb regeneration studies - so he must have been working on properly potting the roses for some time now.

Legolas sighed contently as he watered the roses gifted to him, the droplets of water that landed on the crimson petals glistened from the rising sun shining through the glass of the window. For once, in this world, he felt at peace. No worrying, no sadness... It was a pleasant change.

The elf's breath hitched when arms snaked around his waist from behind and a chin rested on his shoulder, "Good morning." Said a velvety voice he knew very well.

" _'Quel amrun_ ,Jupiter. I must be letting my guard down too often if you are sneaking up on me this much, I should fix that." Legolas said almost exasperatedly, although he leaned back more to delve deeper into the man's warmth.

Jupiter gladly pulled him closer, "Oh, no, keep your guard down. It'll make it easier for me to surprise you like this."

"Or I can just pretend that I'm not aware of your presence."

"...Deal."

Legolas set down the watering can on the window sill before turning around to face Jupiter. He immediately noticed his outfit and blinked owlishly at the lack of a hoodie or... Goodness, he wasn't even wearing his hat! But, oh, Valar, he would be lying if he said he wasn't ravishing.

Ravishing? That... That's new. He has always thought Jupiter was alarmingly handsome for a mortal, which he really did not pay much attention to until he realized he may feel for him in a way no friend should. But he had no idea that a simple switch in style can make such a change, although he liked what he usually wore. What he usually wears is just... Jupiter. There is no real explanation.

But this outfit is also just Jupiter. It's only with more effort.

"I'm guessing that you like what I'm wearing?... If not, then I'm not changing out of this. I put a lot of work into picking this out." The scientist interrupted his complicated thoughts.

"You are beautiful, Jupiter." Legolas whispered, his sharp gaze connecting with his partner's. "I do not care what you wear or how you appear, you will forever and always be beautiful."

Jupiter was taken aback by the seriousness that he heard in his words and honestly, he was touched. And for some reason, he enjoyed Legolas calling him beautiful. He wasn't sure if it was because he was gazing solely into his eyes instead of the rest of him or the way he said it with such conviction, but he knew for a fact that he did not deserve Legolas as his One.

"Jupiter? My rose, are you well?" Legolas inquired upon seeing the strange look on his face.

"I am so fucking lucky to have you."

Legolas smiled warmly, "I should be the one saying that."

Before Jupiter could even deny that, Legolas wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into a proper embrace, breathing in his scent deeply. He shivered when the man chuckled deeply right by his ear, his breath brushing over it, "I had forgotten to thank you for the gift. Just a normal apology would have sufficed, but the roses and chocolate made it better." He said as fingers began running through his hair. Legolas noticed since last night that Jupiter enjoyed touching his hair as much as he did with the man's.

"You're welcome. I was willing to do anything in order for you to forgive me and it was the best idea I had. Pricey, but it's worth it if I get to see you smile." Jupiter said truthfully.

"You have been awfully honest since... Last night." The elf stated curiously, "You rarely said such things before."

"I've been wanting to tell you stuff like that, it's just... Not only was I having trouble accepting it before, I was..."

"Shy?"

"I guess," He shrugged slightly. "I mean, that hasn't changed, but now that we're courting I want to make sure you know how I feel... Especially when you have been telling me the sweetest things since last night. I... I want to make sure you know how special you are to me."

Legolas pulled away just enough to look at him and was surprised that nearly his whole entire face was pink, avoiding his gaze. The elf couldn't resist giving the blushing scientist a chaste kiss, "There is no need to reassure me that I am special to you. I can tell from... the letters. From what I have read, I know that I am the missing part of you, as you are the missing part of me."

"But what if I want to keep reminding you?"

"Then you know how I feel." The archer cupped his cheek, caressing it for a moment before bringing him back into his embrace, "Never stop reminding me, Jupiter.  _Never_."

Jupiter's mind immediately went back to the immortal's confession and his previous doubts. He nodded, tightening his hold, "You wouldn't be able to stop me anyway, even if you tried."

"Hey, Gimli, does this mean they're finished fighting?"

The couple jumped away from each other in an instant when they heard Merry's voice cut through the air. They turn to the staircase to find the rest of the Fellowship standing at the bottom, watching the both of them. Jupiter rose an unimpressed brow, his eyes glinting with irritation, "Were you guys watching us?"

"No, we had just come down here." Boromir assured them, shooting a glance towards Merry who smiled sheepishly, "We apologize for interrupting."

"It's fine. What makes you guys think we were fighting?"

"You had left last night quite angry and Legolas had seemed a bit irked as well. Manny told us that the two of you may have gotten into a quarrel, but we see that you have made up." Aragorn said, looking at Legolas strangely.

"Oh. Well... You can say that we did, but we're good now." Jupiter smirked widely bumping his shoulder against the elf's lightly. "A little bribe was all he needed."

Legolas rolled his eyes at the joke and was quick to whack the back of his head in a scolding manner before turning back to his roses. Jupiter only grinned.

* * *

Chloe didn't even bother to apologize when she came back with her husband late in the morning. She barely even let Levy say goodbye to all of them before carrying her back out to the car without another word. Daniel, of course, apologized profusely for her behavior. He had tried to convince her to apologize to them all, but she wouldn't budge. She was still hanging onto the words that Jupiter had spat at her, and if possible, looked at him with much more hatred.

Straight after that happened, as Daniel was explaining to everyone about how Manny's family were harsh with their religion, Jupiter had swiped a couple of bottles of beer and headed to the lab without a word. Everyone simultaneously cringed when they heard the all too familiar sound of horrid music coming from below. Chloe's husband decided to take his leave by then and quickly hugged Manny before rushing out of the house.

Legolas slipped away from the room to head down the hallway leading to the basement. It was now second nature to him when he pressed in the number code to unlock the door. He winced again when the music's volume went up drastically, not expecting it to be this loud considering how muffled it was upstairs.

He entered the lab and the first thing he saw was Jupiter sitting in Legolas's usual seat, staring at his blackboard as he sipped on his alcoholic beverage. It took him a moment for him to snap out of his daze and notice the elf. Swiftly, he dug into his pocket to pull out his phone and lower the volume enough for it to be only background noise.

"You're drinking." Legolas stated exasperatedly, now standing in front of him.

Jupiter sighed, "Yep." He drank what was left in the bottle and set it aside. He picked up the last one he brought and offered it, "Want some?"

The redhead's smirk faltered and he shrunk back slightly when he was given an unamused stare. With a sigh, he put the beer down and offered his hand. Jupiter motioned for him to come closer when Legolas didn't move, "C'mere."

After a moment, he took a couple of steps closer and took his hand. Legolas looked at him wide-eyed when he pulled him down to sit across his lap, only to meet the scientist's shit-eating grin. The elf opened his mouth to tell him how infuriating he was, but he decided against it. He was sure that Jupiter already knew what he was thinking. Instead, he decided to tell him what was on his mind upon entering the lab, "I hate it when you drink and smoke."

Jupiter was caught off guard by the statement. He was fully expecting Legolas to mutter about how infuriating he was with that crinkled nose while he, himself, sat there grinning like an idiot. "Where did this come from?" He asked, unsure whether or not he wanted to know the answer.

"You are aware that I do not necessarily need sleep, so to pass the time inside the house, I either clean the dishes or watch the television-"

"Thank you for the dishes, by the way. Had no clue it was you." He smirked at him when he was given a look for interrupting, "Do continue."

"There was a night where I found a... channel, where they explained how the overuse of drinking and smoking can affect a man's body. What I had seen was not pleasant, and I wish not to see you go through that, let alone..."

Jupiter's eyes nearly blew wide at the sight of Legolas struggling to finish the sentence, the anxiousness, the  _horror_  rolling off of him in waves. All because of the thought of him dying. "Woah, woah, calm down-"

"How do you suggest I remain calm, Jupiter?!" Legolas cried, "I have seen how many of those cigarettes you go through every single day, how much booze disappearing from the kitchen  _every_  day. I worry for you, and I know that I'm asking for a lot, but I wish you would not allow the two of them to be a necessity in your daily life."

"Why didn't you tell me you were concerned about my habits sooner, doll?" Jupiter inquired as gently as he could, the urgency in his suitor's voice worrying him greatly. He should have known he was going to find out about the health channels and how they don't break the news to you gently.

"I had thought it was untrue at first, but I may have used the machine that answers questions that you ask. It only got easier to search after asking the first time..."

"Shit, you found out about cancer, didn't you?" Jupiter sighed deeply when he nodded, "No wonder you're freaking out, you think I'm going to die if this continues... Alright, I'm gonna tell you something that not even Manny knows."

Wanting to see him directly face-to-face, Legolas changed his position so that he was sitting on his lap, facing him. He was completely oblivious to how the redhead instinctively placed his hands on his waist, glancing down quickly. "Um..." He cleared his throat and put his focus back on the blonde, "My dad... He was a scientist too. It was a year or so after he and my mom adopted me that they realized something weird was going on. I wasn't getting sick like every other kid. No common cold or occasional fever, nothing. The only time I was remotely sick was when I rode a rollercoaster for the first time on a full stomach and threw up. They didn't think much about it until I was older and my dad decided to give me a blood test, similar to the one I gave all of you, but more... thorough. A colleague of his allowed him to use some of his equipment to look at my DNA since he couldn't afford it - which I am working on getting as a new addition for my lab, by the way - and he found a mutation in it."

"A change in... genes?" Questioned Legolas, unsure if he was right.

Jupiter nodded, "Yeah. The mutation... It's complicated. To put it simply, when something harmful is put into me that damages my body, it's rapidly disposed of and the damage is healed naturally. Fever? Gone. Accidentally drank expired milk? It's thrown up and the bacteria is erased immediately. Toxins and chemicals in cigarettes going into my lungs? Scraped out and broken down so my immune system can do the rest of the work in disposing of it. But... If I get stabbed, shot, anything like that, I have to deal with it like any other person, only with no risk of infection."

The elf nodded slowly, his shoulders relaxing tremendously, "I have much to ask about that, but what about alcohol?"

"Everything in it that harms me is disposed of just like with the tobacco in cigarettes. Since the effects of it don't harm me, like an anesthetic or a sedative, they still remain. Like I said, it's complicated."

"I understand." Legolas reassured him, and he did. He understood everything perfectly, "But Jupiter, even so... The way you abuse them to bury your issues is not healthy for you here." He places his hand over the other's heart, "It'll only make it grow. It'll grow until it's too much and you fall apart. It will repeat over and over, breaking you down even further until you are nothing but dust that a simple breath of air can blow away into nothingness."

"It's not that easy." Jupiter said quietly, "I'll admit it, Legolas, I have a problem with drinking and smoking. I knew it wasn't the right thing to do, and I still do."

"Then why do you do it if you think it is wrong?"

"Because, just for a little while, I don't have to worry about anything. I get to be in my own little world and- and.. feel peaceful. I... I don't feel as angry as I was before, it numbs the pain for a few minutes. I-I-.. I always-..."

Legolas can feel the man's grip on his waist tightening ever so slightly as he trembled. He placed his hands over the scientist's and gently pried them off in order to hold them. Lacing their fingers together, he placed a light kiss on top of them both as he watched him carefully. Just as he thought, Jupiter instantly relaxed and the tremors decreased, "I think I know something that can help."

"Like what?..."

"Me." The archer smiled at the puzzled expression on his face and released one of his hands in order to cup his cheek, "Even before we properly began our friendship, you were comforted by my presence and voice. When Manny had fallen terribly ill and she was being healed, you sought comfort from my touch. I wasn't sure until now if this was true, but I made sure to pay close attention this time."

Jupiter shook his head slightly, "I hate how observant you are."

Legolas only chuckled at his comment. "Is that why you drink and smoke? Because of your trembling? Sadness? Pent-up rage? Anxiousness?"

"Loneliness." The redhead looked at him properly, "At first it was mostly loneliness... I guess. I mean... I-... Son of a bitch, I can't do this."

The elf held firm when he tried nudging him off his lap, gripping his shoulder and moving as close as he could to keep the man from running for it. "No more running, Jupiter. No more easy ways out." He told his reluctant partner, "You have always acted strong to protect the ones you care for. You never purposely let anything out that shows the slightest bit of fragility. Just this once, please, talk to me."

Jupiter cursed under his breath at the sight of him giving him  _puppy eyes_. Now, of all times, during a serious conversation. He must be getting desperate for him to open up to him and his little plan was working. "I started it all after my parents' death." Legolas perked up and nodded encouragingly, giving his hand a squeeze. The redhead was still hesitant to continue, but he wanted to open up to him. He wanted to be honest with him. "It began when I was barely in high school, and it only got worse as I tried and failed to find you. I was tired of being angry and sad all the time. It became an addiction for those moments of peace and nothing to worry about in the world, but after I found out how I felt for you, those effects disappeared. Now that I've found you, it's only become a bothersome necessity whenever I'm feeling negative."

"Then let me replace them. You do not need substances to make you feel happy for a short amount of time when you have me, someone that is most definitely not temporary. Let me be the one you crave for. It would be all my pleasure to be your addiction."

"That's the thing, doll, I'm already addicted to you. Smoking and drinking, at this point, is being a huge pain in the ass. Trust me, I've been wanting to quit even though it doesn't hurt me, because you're right. It runs deeper than that and that's why I need your help to do it. I can't do this alone."

Jupiter's eyes fall shut as soon as soft lips crashed onto his own. He kissed the elf back just as enthusiastically as his hands reclaimed their positions on Legolas's waist to pull him closer, even though there was little space between them.

Legolas pulled away, "You finally said it."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in." Jupiter cut off his silent laughter with another brief kiss.

"I have one question, though..." Said the ellon, "Why did you call me 'doll'?"

"Why do you call me rose?"

"I'm sure I already explained that to you."

"And the student outsmarts the teacher, bravo, Legolas. Bravo."

The two of them stared at each other as the intense music continued to play on a low volume in the background. Jupiter was the first one to crack a smile before bursting into a fit of chuckles, causing Legolas to purse his lips to hold back from smiling. It was only when the man's quiet snickers turned into full-blown laughter, did he-

Jupiter slapped a hand over his mouth with eyes blown as wide as dinner plates. The elf continued sitting there, trying to comprehend the fact that Jupiter, the scientist that barely gave a real laugh or smile, snorted.  _Loudly_. " _Pfft!-_ "

Legolas clung to his shoulders as he cackled and it didn't take long for Jupiter to join him. Their hysterical laughter filled the lab, the volume easily overpowering the music so much so, that they barely heard Jupiter's phone ringing until the both of them realized it was vibrating in his pocket. Calming down a bit, although still giggling as they attempted and failed at shushing each other, he took it out and cleared his throat before answering it. His ringtone cut off from the speaker, "What? We're busy."

" _Uh-huh. You two are sure having a lot of fun down there for being 'busy'._ " Manny's voice came out of the speaker.

Jupiter, took a look around the room, half-expecting to find a camera hidden somewhere, "...Are you spying on us with some kind of voodoo?"

" _No, we can all hear you guys laughing like lunatics up here. What was so funny? I've never heard either of you laugh that loud before._ "

"Nothing." Mostly. "Did you need something? We really are busy."

" _Wow, my gayest friend in the world, do you think I care?_ "

He rolled his eyes, knowing that she was purposely trying to annoy him for her own amusement, "Let me play tonsil tennis with my elf in peace, sweet-cheeks." And hung up.

"...What... What did you just tell, Manny?" Legolas whispered.

Jupiter's face went white, " _Shit_."

The both of them jumped when there was thunderous banging on the door upstairs. Legolas breathed out a sigh and climbed off of Jupiter's lap to go open it, but he was stopped by a hand grabbing his, "Legolas, save yourself. Hide behind the counter, she's coming for me not you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jupiter! She isn't going to kill you." He told him in an attempt to put him at ease, slipping his hand out of his grip with some effort.

"I've known her for years, dude, and she has nearly killed me two times for not telling her this type of shit."

"Allow me to speak with her. Perhaps I can calm her down?"

Jupiter still wasn't convinced. Not until a kiss was pressed against his cheek, "Fine. Fine, I trust you."

The ellon grinned triumphantly and quickly disappeared behind the door. Jupiter immediately began pacing, wondering how in the hell Legolas was going to calm the ultimate fiery of a raging, gluttonous brunette that despises bras. The worst part is that she wasn't impulsive like he was when it came to sudden bouts of anger, she  _knows_  what she was doing - well, most of the time. It was on the top three of his list of horrifying things.

He was hoping that today was going to be a good day. An  _amazing_  day. And it was at the beginning! Legolas was open with his affections - much to his embarrassment when he received it - and he seemed to  _really_  like his outfit. Then Chloe came back to get Levy, and then another serious discussion with Legolas about his unhealthy choices - something that they both had needed to talk about - and now his big mouth just had to spill something that he wanted to save until at least tonight so he could enjoy the rest of the day with Legolas in peace. Of course, the universe still wanted to fuck him over and brought a pissed Manny.

Jupiter flinched when the door slammed open and skidded to a stop, spinning around. The first thing he saw was a scowling artist, and an archer standing behind her with a sheepish smile that said 'I tried my best.', and then the second thing he saw was a flip-flop hurdling straight towards his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Quel amrun.: Good morning.
> 
> I've been having some serious writer's block, so if you see something off with this chapter and probably the next, then you know why. I've been playing Assassin Creed games all day long to get me inspired since video games tend to do that for me. Yesterday, I played the first one for like 8 hours straight and played the second one for around two to three hours (This is my third time playing Assassin's Creed II lololol)
> 
> Speaking of which, once I'm finished uploading this, I'm going to go straight into finishing it... again. (ily Altaïr & Ezio)


	23. XXIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"So, you're telling me that you two finally professed your love to each other, and Jupiter didn't bother to wake me up and tell me?"

"Well, yeah, but more importantly, why in  _fuck's_  name did you throw a goddamn flip-flop into my fucking face?! It's worse than that fly swatter bullshit you did last year!"

"It was the first thing I grabbed, ass-hat."

Jupiter grumbled under his breath with a deep scowl as he rubbed his bright red forehead soothingly. After Manny threw the flip-flop at him, she had tried tackling him but Legolas managed to hold her back in time. It didn't take long for her to calm down while Jupiter used his phone's camera as a mirror to make sure he wasn't bleeding.

Eventually, Legolas took it upon himself to tell her what had happened last night, leaving out the  _details_  for obvious reasons. Manny, seeming perfectly fine now, beamed at the both of them, "Well, dang, I didn't expect this. This is great! Do you guys do dirty things now like hug and kiss each other's cheeks?"

"Lady Manny!"

"Hey, hey, hey, I thought we were done with that lady crap!" She grinned, "And I was just kidding. Knowing Jupiter, he's already kissed you various times, yet he blushes like a schoolgirl when you do it to him." She laughed when Legolas spluttered and Jupiter gave her a withering glare, "Called it!"

"Huh, knowing you, I bet you'll be doing the same too with you-know-who."

Manny's grin immediately drops, "Wow. You're a complete butthole. Now I'm super jealous instead of happy, thanks a lot, I'm going to leave now, but before I do..." She took a deep breath as she turns to Legolas, "I trust you with Jupiter. I'm perfectly fine with you courting him, but as Jupiter's best friend, it's my duty to do this and I know this will be the last time I ever do it. So, Legolas, if you ever break Jupiter's heart, I will tear every limb off of you. I will go Bruce Lee on your ass, deadly elf with topnotch fighting skills or not."

"Manny, I swear to you, that I would rather give away my life than allow that to happen."

A warm smile crawled up to Manny's lips at the sight of blue eyes expressing nothing but the truth, his voice and face speaking volumes to add onto his honesty. Jupiter, no longer bothered by his sore face and annoyance, looked at Legolas with the most heartwarming expression she has ever seen, "I'll leave you two alone now."

* * *

Manny cannot believe what just happened.

She cannot believe what just happened to her.

What the actual Guaca Flocka.

Okay, allow her to start from the beginning...

She had returned from her confrontation with Jupiter and Legolas while wearing only one flip-flop, hair tangled from her sprint to the lab door, and a little sweaty. She had jokingly told everyone that apparently she was being replaced by Legolas, which earned a few laughs. Upon approaching them in order to join them in the board game, she noticed very quickly that her favorite hobbit was gone. After asking where he was, she went to the backyard where Frodo was sitting on the ground, picking at the grass.

Manny, being the good friend she was, joined him on the ground. After crossing her legs she nudged his knee with her own, "Hi."

Frodo didn't look up from the blade of grass he was fiddling with, "Hello, Manny."

Her smile faltered. There was obviously something wrong, "Alright, what's up? You look upset."

"I'm not upset." Told the ringbearer as he finally met her gaze, "I am... thinking."

"About what?"

"Things."

"What  _kinds_  of things, Frodo?"

"All kinds." He fell backward in order to lay down on his back with Manny following his action. "It's just that... I use to think of something that I thought was wrong to think about, but I've seen something that has changed my opinion. Has that ever happened to you?"

"Definitely." She nodded, not caring much at the fact that bugs may or may not be crawling into her long hair since she's planning on taking a shower later. "Like, a couple of days ago I thought it was a bad idea to flush the toilet while Jupiter was in the shower, but then I remembered how he forced me to eat broccoli earlier that day and it became a good idea."

Frodo laughed lightly, folding his hands behind his head, "Was he mad?"

"Oh, yeah. Yelled at me and everything, he even chased me around the room with a hand towel and kept doing that thing where you twirl it then snap it onto someone's butt. Anyway, what about you? What particular, specific thing were you thinking about that has you down in the dumps?"

"This morning," He began after a beat of silence. "I was the first to awaken and go downstairs, about a minute before everyone else. I saw Jupiter and Legolas... At first, I was happy that they were no longer angry with each other since they were hugging. I was going to go back upstairs to give them some privacy, but then they... Then they kissed."

"...Oh."

"You are much calmer than I thought you would be."

"No, I'm surprised  _you're_  calm. I'm just mad that you got to see them kiss before me!"

Frodo looked at her strangely, "You knew about this?"

"I literally just found out. That jerk didn't even tell me until he let it slip on the phone, that's why I ran down there." She lifted up her barefoot, "And why I'm one flip-flop short."

"Then they  _are_  together." He stated more than questioned.

"Yeah. I'm a little confused by how cool you are with this, I thought with you being from Middle-Earth you would lean towards the whole 'homo is a no-no' kinda thing."

"Well, at first it was strange for me. I have never seen two people of the same gender be... together. But I didn't see anything wrong with it as most people at home might think. The only thing I am shocked by is the fact that they are elf and man. Aragorn has told me that love between elf and man is very few, and mostly ends in a horrible death due to the man's actions. Aragorn and Lady Arwen, however, I know for sure will never become like that, unless Aragorn..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"What do you think about Jupiter and Legolas?"

"I am not sure." Frodo told her honestly, "But... I know it will end in pain."

"So, that's what got you all worked up? You saw them kiss?"

"No, it's not only because of that." He struggled to put his thoughts into words, "After what I saw, I knew it wouldn't end well. And I'm sure the both of them are aware of it, but it made me wonder. Why? Why would they do it if they know this? Why would they both risk  _everything_  to be together? The answer was not hard to figure out."

Manny sat up slowly and he followed her action after a moment as she looked at him worriedly, "Frodo..."

"After seeing them, I found that I was wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

The hobbit opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it closed as he turned his gaze down. Manny was getting exceedingly more worried about him by the second, "Frodo?" She whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly, he met her gaze. His eyes held determination in them and suddenly surged forward. It was a moment too late for the brunette to realize what exactly he was doing and her eyes widened...

He missed.

Manny blinked owlishly with a beet red face. It wasn't exactly a kiss-kiss, it was more of an awkward half-kiss considering how suddenly and fast he did it. He had pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth a bit too hard and their noses had bumped against each other. Unsurprisingly, Frodo was mortified. His face too matched her redness, embarrassed by his horrible first attempt at kissing Manny.

Before he could even fully scramble onto his feet and run off to who-knows-where, the brunette snapped out of it and grabbed his wrist. She pulled him back down, "Uh-uh, you are  _not_  running after doing that! I don't give a crap if this is a super-realistic dream or not, I haven't made out with pillows and stuffed animals since I was fourteen for nothing!"

"Wha-"

And then Manny kissed him.  _Properly_. As properly as it can be with pillows and stuffed animals being her only source of practice, along with knowledge from lovey-dovey movie scenes.

So that's what happened. And now the both of them are laying on the grass, processing what had just transpired between them. Manny contemplated whether or not she should tell Jupiter, but she quickly knocked that idea down. Hah, as if she would do that after he never bothered to tell her when he had more than one opportunities! Yeah, she'll drag it out.

She will drag it out alright.

"Heh.. Hehe..."

"...Manny, why are you laughing like that?"

* * *

"Stupid fuckin' uke... Stupid fuckin' tuning..."

"Cursing at an instrument won't do you any good."

Jupiter groaned loudly and flopped down on the lab bench as Legolas chuckled from where he sat on the edge beside him. The man was taking a break from his research as Legolas worked on the chemical equations that he had to balance on the board. At first, he tried to straighten up his messy desk a little, but he was quickly distracted by the ukulele case that was innocently sitting in the corner of the room.

He was unable to resist the urge to open it up, take it out, jump up onto the lab bench to sit on it, and proceed to tune it. The only problem was that he sucked at it. Strumming, fingerpicking, chords, no problem. Tuning? He rather bathe in lava than do that. Eventually, Legolas joined him on the table without finishing the last couple of problems to watch him struggle for his own amusement.

"Oh, give me it." The elf gently pried the instrument out of his hands. In a matter of seconds, the uke was perfectly tuned.

Jupiter gawked at him in a mixture of both confusion and awe as he was given back the instrument, "How did you do that?"

"Well, it is similar to a harp, but only with fewer strings. It took me a moment to figure out which way I needed to turn the knob, though."

"Holy shit, you're the best." He said as he tested out a few chords he still remembered, "I didn't know you played the harp?"

"All Elves of Mirkwood do. It is only natural that I learn as soon as I had the ability to walk." Legolas shrugged, "Do you know any songs?"

"Eh, not really, I can just do melodies on the spot and that's it. I'll have to look up some tutorials online..." He strummed a few chords, albeit slowly as he paused in between to correct his finger placements. "Hey, Legolas..."

"Yes?"

"Is it bad that I've been considering slacking off on the interdimensional travel research just so I can be with you longer?" He stopped playing, "Stupid question. It is bad. It's pretty damn selfish..."

"Is being selfish as horrible as you make it out to be?" The ellon took a hold of the other's chin to gently turn his head towards him. He smiled warmly at his troubled expression, a face that he has been seeing more frequently as of late, "I agree, it is not the greatest of ideas, but your reasoning is what matters to me the most. I share your desires and there have been times when I have the most outrageous ideas as well. Though, I suppose the worst ideas can be the best ideas as well..."

Jupiter's eyebrows shot up at his last sentence, "Wait, seriously?"

"No, I am only jesting."

Legolas chuckled when he was given a half-hearted glare, "In all seriousness,  _meril-nîn_ , there are times when being selfish is fine. Take us and the beginning of our courtship as an example. But situations such as this..."

"I get it." He sighed, setting his instrument aside as he pressed his forehead against the archer's, "I already know. I guess we'll just have to be together more often, then."

"Is that so?" Jupiter felt his lips brush against his. "Let us not waste any more time then."

Legolas locked their lips together and he immediately felt a hand rest on his hip as their eyes fell shut through the slow kiss. The scientist's hand ran up and down his waist soothingly as he quickly took control of the kiss, deepening it. His One felt himself already being overwhelmed by the kiss, pulling away for a moment in order to both catch his breath and calm his racing heart.

Jupiter didn't allow this opportunity for long. He caught his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment before diving back in, dragging out a noticeable shiver from Legolas that made him smirk through the kiss. His kisses then trailed away from his lips and down to his jawline, working his way towards his neck. The immortal's eyes flew wide as he sucked in a sharp gasp, his hand squeezing Jupiter's shoulder.

Quickly detaching his lips from his neck, he looked at Legolas with concern, "Sorry, too fast?"

"N-.. No." He quickly shook his head. It was a lie. This was much more than he anticipated so soon in their relationship, yet he couldn't find the power in him to cut it short. To tell Jupiter that for now, they should stick with normal kissing for a little while longer seemed impossible for him. It was hard to say it because now that he has gotten a taste of the sensation of Jupiter's lips on his neck, he only wanted more. Being so close to him like this and receiving such an intimate touch not only stirred something within him but also spread a warmth through his soul.

Jupiter narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously, hearing his stutter, "Uh-huh. You don't sound so sure of yourself, doll."

"In all truth, it is a bit overwhelming, but... In a good way."

"Okay... good. Just tell me when you get uncomfortable or something. If you get too happy, I might not be able to stop myself from falling onto my knees."

That last comment took the elf a moment, " _Pardon_?"

A devilish grin spread across Jupiter's face before he leaned down again to return to trailing teasing kisses down his neck. Legolas breathed out a content sigh, tilting his head in order for him to gain more access. His nimble fingers thread through crimson hair as he bit his tongue to keep from letting out any noises. The blonde's eyes snap open when a familiar song played in the room for the second time that day and it, unfortunately, broke his concentration, causing a whimper to slip before he quickly shut his mouth.

This, of course, only gave the man all the more reason to keep going, completely disregarding the insistent ringing of his phone. "Jupiter," Legolas gasped out. "Your phone."

"It's closer to you, can you answer it?"

Legolas blindly reached for the device with his free hand and picked it up as Jupiter eased into light nipping. It took him a few moments before he answered it, "Hello?"

" _Why hello there, you definitely do not sound like Holo._ " A woman said on the other line, " _Is he there? I need to talk to him._ "

"May I ask who you are?"

" _I'm his boss. I'm in a rush, so do you mind telling him that we need him at the restaurant today? We need extra hands and I'll add it onto his paycheck._ " She then hung up.

Jupiter finally moved away to admire his work, impressed by how Legolas was able to keep a steady conversation on the phone while breathless. His neck was littered with light pink markings that would soon fade - Jupiter made sure not to do too much damage no matter how much he wanted to - and his lips were just as swollen as his. "Who was it?"

"Your boss. She said that she needs you at the restaurant and will add to your paycheck."

The scientist immediately scowled, "Damn it!" He growled out. "Why can't the world just let me make out with you? Seriously, I have school tomorrow!"

"Calm down, she said that she only needed some help. That does not mean that you will be gone for too long, correct?"

"I mean... Maybe, it depends."

"Then there is nothing to worry about."

"Ugh, fine. I need to go out to buy some groceries anyway..."

Legolas gave him a quick kiss and was pleased to find that it helped ease his scowl into a frustrated frown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meril-nîn: my rose
> 
> I'm sorry this one is short, but like I said, I'm having some writer's block issues and decided to give you guys an update on Manny and Frodo's relationship status, but next chapter I AM SET. I have it all planned out and it will be much longer than this one, I promise! The chapter after that? I'm still figuring it out, but I have a general idea of what I'm going to do lol.
> 
> Also, did you enjoy that little bit of fan service? I tried my best since I know that we all need some more Legolas/Jupiter action lololol. (Don't worry, there will be plenty more *winkwinknudgenudge*)
> 
> If there are any grammar/spelling errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	24. XXIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"You look better." Was the first thing that his manager told him when he entered the kitchen with waiters and waitresses, and chefs bustling around the small area. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her, hoping that she wouldn't ask- "What was up with you last night anyway?" ...That.

"Stuff." He answered gruffly as he swiftly tied his waist apron around himself, and pulled out the notepad and pen.

"Uh-huh. 'Stuff'. Let me guess, it's the same 'stuff' that made you disappear."

Jupiter twitched at the mention of his brief disappearance. Unlike his boss - Cathy, the owner of the restaurant - his manager, Madison, was a huge bitch to put it simply. She had been extremely against letting him off work before, but Cathy's demand overruled her's easily and now Madison was salty. Thank heavens his boss is a lot more understanding...

Deciding that it wasn't even worth answering her, he left the kitchen to greet and take his first table's orders. Just like Cathy had told him, the place was packed. He'd even dare to say that it was even busier than it usually was. Despite the number of people inside, the volume of voices wasn't overwhelming except for the rare shout of an ornery child.

He remained relatively blank-faced the entire time as he continued taking orders, although he did give the occasional faint smile just to be welcoming and not have Madison on his ass again for looking like an asshole to the customers. All throughout the two hours, he was in a foul mood. He wanted to be with Legolas...

Ugh, he missed him already.

Why did his boss have to call him while Jupiter was enjoying his...  _time_  with Legolas? Maybe they can pick up from where they left off later tonight. That thought lifted his spirits a little and suddenly his rare small smiles became somewhat genuine.

Jupiter paused from where he stood in the kitchen, placing the hot plates of food that was ordered by a couple on a tray. A hostess and waitress were talking not too quietly by the open doorway leading to the main dining room. He  _would_  call them out for lazing around and surely causing complaints, but their conversation was much more interesting...

"Wait, wait, wait, what did you just say?"

"I just took this whole group to their table and there was the hottest guy there." The other girl gave her a skeptical look, "I'm serious this time! I couldn't stop staring at him, he looks like a Greek god!"

"Where is he?"

"Not in your area. He's in Jupiter's, at the back, your spot was full..."

"Damn, is he like... cuter than Jupiter?"

"You would have to see for yourself to answer that. Anyway, I have to tell him that he's serving that table."

"Ugh, lucky."

Jupiter turned his attention back to his tray just as the hostess approached him and told him about the table he was assigned to, completely oblivious to the fact that he had just been eavesdropping. He only nodded and hefted up the tray so the edge can rest on his shoulder to steady it as he walked out.

His brows furrow after a couple of minutes, putting away the tray in the kitchen before heading out to the back of the restaurant that was usually the quietest and had the most windows to peer out of at the booths. The group that the girls were talking about couldn't possibly be... Yeah, as if that would ever happen. How in the world would they all get here in a single car?

As he approached the only large table in the back that held more than six people, he pulled out his notepad and pen, flipping through it to a blank page as he greeted without looking up, "Hello, my name's Jupiter, and welcome to Yuna Isle. I will be your server for... this evening..."

Okay, he stands corrected.

The moment he had looked up mid-sentence, he went entirely expressionless once he saw Manny's grinning face and everyone else's surprised looks. "What... What are you guys doing here?"

"What are  _you_  doing here?" Pippin countered, taken aback by his sudden appearance.

"So this is where ya work at." Gimli said rather calmly, although he too looked like he didn't expect this as well, "A bit too fancy for a rough lad like you, I'd say."

Jupiter couldn't help but smirk as everyone at the table laughed at his comment and his eyes trailed over to the one person that had been the only thing on his mind since he left home. Legolas, too, stared back at him and smiled when their gazes met, "I didn't think I would see you until later this evening."

"Neither did I." His smirk softened slightly and he raised an eyebrow at Manny, "How did you manage to get everyone here?"

"We walked."

"Manny had suggested taking something called a bus," Boromir piped up, "But since it was not far, we suggested to walk here. We did some exploring along the way as well."

"Not that far? It was an hour walk!"

"You're only complaining because you're lazy." Manny pouted at Jupiter's comment, "Anyway, what would you guys like to drink?"

"Ale!" The hobbits cried excitedly.

"Uh-uh, no way. I can't risk having my manager coming over here to check IDs for you four, sorry." He chuckled when they all groaned, although Frodo and Sam got over it easily. They weren't as big of a fan of ale as the other two. "How about some iced tea?" They all looked at each other before simultaneously nodding.

He scribbled it down and looked at the two men and dwarf, "Beer for you guys? You're the only ones here that are obviously old enough to have it." They all voiced out their agreements.

"And-"

"Lemonade!"

"Of course..." He sighed, not surprised. This wasn't her first time at the restaurant. The redhead then trailed his gaze back over to Legolas and he smirked widely at the elf, " _Legolas_?"

Much to his delight, Legolas blushed ever so slightly. He definitely noticed that Jupiter only said his name out of everyone else's, "I will just have water."

"Alrighty then," He closed his notepad. "I'll be back with your drinks and bread."

Manny watched how Legolas discreetly - or at least tried to - watch his partner leave and head to a doorway not too far away that lead into the kitchen. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand slip into her's and she turned to Frodo, who simply grinned at her.

* * *

"Okay, steaks for the manly men and dwarf, double servings of chicken and portabella mushrooms for the handsome hobbits, a shitload of seafood on linguini for the appendix-less lady, and mahimahi with caponata for my favorite elf." He said as he gave everyone their meals with the help of an unfolded stand that he had previously brought out to place one of the trays on.

Everyone thanked him as he collected their empty bowls of salad and the empty basket, telling them that he'll be back with more of the bread and told them to enjoy their food out of habit. He will admit that he  _nearly_  kissed Legolas's cheek before he left though.

As Jupiter went to the kitchen to drop off the dirty dishes, he heard a group of four girls that had just been seated at a table giggling rather obnoxiously. Ugh, don't tell him that he's going to have to take their orders too...

Not even thirty seconds later did the same hostess from before tell him what he had feared. Great.

After dropping off the bread - he made sure that he gave Legolas's shoulder a seemingly friendly-looking squeeze since he was that deprived of touching him; he had no idea how he was going to get through tomorrow at school without going insane - Jupiter went to the giggling table and greeted them. Almost immediately, the beady eyes of a short black-haired teenage girl found him among three other pairs. Oh no, he has seen that look way too many times in his life.

Unfortunately, the girl that seemed the most interested in him wasn't as shy as he was hoping she would be, "You have got to be the hottest waiter I've ever seen in my life."

Her friend from beside her gasped, her cheeks blossoming in a rosy pink as she gave the bold girl a playful shove, "Lucy!"

"Thanks..." Jupiter trailed off, not too surprised by his response at this point. Ever since he had discovered his crush on Legolas, he had abruptly stopped all flirting with any individual. Usually, when this type of stuff happened in the restaurant, he would use his false charm to have his fun while making his boss happy by getting them to come back to the restaurant.

Quickly, he began getting their orders and bringing them back to them. Each time he came there, the girl named Lucy would do everything she could to try to entice him - which obviously failed miserably with each attempt. She mostly used innuendos which caused her other friends to giggle and tell her to stop, and there was even one time when she snapped her hand up to squeeze his bicep and commented on how firm it was.

Yeah, Jupiter was definitely pissed - and a little disgusted by the touch - and was unfortunately unable to give her a piece of his mind since he didn't want to risk losing his job. He'll just have to fight through the urge until they leave.

Legolas's eyes narrowed from where he sat. He had long since finished eating along with the others and were now chatting away about nothing, having their fun. The elf would have joined if it weren't for the fact that something much more important had caught his attention. At first, it wasn't anything too concerning, Jupiter was simply greeting the table he was serving...

That was until the girl looked at him in a way that made his blood boil.

He had taken a calming breath. There was no need to get bothered by it, he had thought, Legolas knew very well that Jupiter was attractive and many women were drawn in by it. Those thoughts immediately erased when he caught sight of her touching him when he came by with their dinner, and he  _let_  her. Why did that aggravate him so much? She just touched him. It didn't mean that Jupiter liked it, but... Maybe he was just overreacting.

Just as a fraction of the tension in his shoulders left him, the scientist came by their table again to collect their plates, "You guys have room for dessert?"

"Do you know me, Jupiter?" Manny asked, unimpressed.

He snorted, easily carrying the tray of dirty dishes with a single hand along with his shoulder to assist him, "Let me guess, cheesecake?" He turned to the others after she nodded enthusiastically, "We have ice cream, cheesecake, apple and blueberry pie, and chocolate cake tonight."

Everyone immediately told him what they wanted, which mostly consisted of ice cream. Jupiter smirked when Legolas told him he wanted the cake. Definitely because of the chocolate.

Soon enough, he had arrived with the desserts and went back to the table full of girls once he saw their dinner finished, relieved when they told him that they wanted the check. He was hoping they didn't want any dessert and had already printed out the check, lucky him.

Before they left, Jupiter was stopped by the girl that has been flirting with him nonstop since meeting him. Before he could even react, she grabbed his hand and slid a piece of paper into it along with his tip, "Call me?"

He only gave a mocking smile that hopefully got the message across as he angrily stuffed the piece of paper in his apron pocket to throw in the trash later, the money going into his back pocket, before walking away.

Jupiter came back to the most boisterous table in the restaurant, only to find them taking their time with finishing their confections, chatting and laughing away. "How is everything?" He asks once he was close enough.

"Jupiter!" Sam smiled brightly at him, "I wish you were able to join us. It isn't fair that we get to eat while you work-"

"Uh-uh, don't even start Samwise." The redhead pointed at him, "It's fine. I don't like anything in here anyway, other than the sweet stuff. I'm just glad you guys are enjoying yourselves."

"Shame on you, Jupiter." Manny shook her head in mock disappointment, "You're supposed to be supporting the place you work at not dissing it."

Everyone snickered at the two and Jupiter was quick to flip the bird on them, which only lead to them all laughing more. Great, they're desensitized to the universal sign for 'fuck you' now. As he was about to leave to get back to work and allow them to finish eating, a strong hand grabbed his wrist gently, although kept a firm grip on it.

Jupiter looked at the person who had stopped him, which so happened to be Legolas. Seeing as everyone else was distracted by whatever random conversation that they somehow conjured up, he knelt down beside him so that they were able to quietly speak to each other without the man leaning down. Jupiter immediately saw that there was something... off with him. "What's up?"

"I..." Legolas looked hesitant and unsure of himself. When he had stopped him after he had spoken to everyone, he had been determined, but now... He was suddenly nervous.

His reluctance to say what was on his mind began to worry his suitor greatly, "What's wrong, doll?"

"That girl," The ellon forced himself to blurt out, "I saw her give you something."

Jupiter's expression changed from concern to confusion, and finally, to realization. "The one with the short hair?"

"Yes..." Legolas looked away. A pesky shadow wrapped around his heart as ire returned within him, "I also saw how she touched you as well... and I did not like the way she was looking at you." The last part was supposed to be muttered to himself, but somehow Jupiter heard him.

The scientist's face went completely expressionless. He took in his One's fidgeting figure, seeming to go over what he was told in his head. Jupiter took a deep breath before leaning up to mutter in his ear, "When I walk away, ask Manny where the bathroom is. When she tells you where it is, go past the first two doors and go to the one that says 'staff only'."

Before he could even reply, Jupiter stood up and silently walked away without another word.

Legolas swallowed thickly. He turned to Manny when the man was out of sight, "Manny, where is the bathroom?"

* * *

When he entered the bathroom, following Jupiter's directions, he took a quick look around. It was... well, a bathroom. Very clean as well, he can tell just from smelling a hint of cleaner in the air. Enough about his observation on the cleanliness of the bathroom, there were more important things to be concerned about.

It's quite obvious that Jupiter told him to come here in order to speak with him privately. Legolas was not sure whether to feel annoyed, angry, or worried, so he settled on being all of them. Why couldn't he have just told him what was going on between him and that girl before? Why did he even let her touch him or even take that piece of paper?

The ellon span around from where he stood once he heard the door creak open. There Jupiter was, quickly slipping inside with him and locking the door. He too turned around before crossing his arms and leaning back against the door. They silently gazed at each other before Legolas asked quietly, "What did she give you?"

"Why are you so curious?"

Legolas twitched at that. It was an innocent question, it even sounded genuine, but somehow it made him even more vexed than before. "We will not get anywhere if you answer with questions."

Jupiter sighed deeply, "You really want to know?" He asked, unsurprised when he nods and answered honestly, "It was her phone number. She told me to call her before she left."

There was an immediate reaction to his statement. The briefest of frowns came upon his face and there was a spark of anger in his blue orbs, darkening them, "And you... took it."

"No, she forced it into my hand." He shrugged casually as if he was completely unaware of how Legolas was reacting, "I didn't want to cause drama so I just put it in my pocket. The second I got to the kitchen, I ripped it up and threw it out, you can pat me down if you want to make sure."

"That is not necessary," Legolas said quickly. Now he felt... rather foolish. Why did he even think that Jupiter even wanted to be seduced and touched in the first place by the girl? He had never thought of how Jupiter needed to deal with it since this was his job and he wished to keep it. He has seen from experience that Jupiter can be rather brutal and heartless when it comes to those who annoy him greatly.

But just the thought of that woman  _touching_  Jupiter, constantly giving him those sultry looks both when he was and wasn't paying attention, it infuriated him. It infuriated him even though deep down he knew that Jupiter would never reciprocate it.

"You were jealous," Jupiter announced. "Weren't you?"

Legolas immediately went pink. So that's why he felt that way... It was jealousy. "I don't-... I just did not like the way she treated you. It looked as if she was trying to seduce you and I was just so-"

"Jealous?" The man grinned slightly, "That's called jealousy, Legolas."

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" Legolas blurted out, "She was touching you inappropriately and I did not know what to think when you didn't stop her, let alone tell her that you are already courting someone! All I wanted to do at that moment was stand up, walk up to her, and tell her that..." He snapped his mouth shut. The both of them were surprised by the aggression in his voice, an element that has become more prominent than the first time he lost his composure during dinner with Manny's sisters and brother-in-law.

Jupiter, however, appears to recover quickly and approached the archer. Legolas instinctively took a step back, "Tell her what, exactly?" The man inquired.

The elf's back hit the bathroom wall after taking another step back. He mentally cursed, forgetting that the bathroom was small and mainly made for a single person to use. Almost immediately, Jupiter placed his hands against the wall on either side of his head in order to trap him. "If you did stand and walk up to her, what would you say, Legolas?"

Legolas felt a strong shiver run throughout his body feeling his breath brush against his ear. He brought his hands up to grab handfuls of the white fabric of Jupiter's dress shirt, looking at him fiercely as he growled out, "I would tell her that you are  _mine_."

Jupiter's hands clenched into fists before slamming against the wall loudly, causing the other to get startled and jump slightly from the sudden bang that reverberated around the small room. Legolas used one of his hands to move the man's head away from the side of his own so he can directly look at his face. All he saw in his eyes was restraint. Jupiter was struggling to hold back from doing something, hence why he had punched the wall, "That's right." He nodded after a moment, "I'm yours. I'll always be yours, okay? Absolutely no one can change that and nothing will get in the way of that. I know now what caused the jealousy. You're still worried about me getting tired of you and leaving, but trust me, I can never get enough of you. When I left to go to work, damn it, you were the only thing on my mind! I don't even know if I'll survive tomorrow at school without you there with me, but I know I'm going to have to deal with it no matter how much it sucks. And I should have told her that I was most definitely taken, but she gave me those crazy bitch vibes so-"

He was quickly quieted by a hand suddenly covering his mouth. Legolas breathed out a sigh as the man looked at him in confusion, "I know. It's okay, I am still... trying not to doubt." The elf moved his hand away before gently prying Jupiter's fists off the wall and helped unclench his fists to properly take a hold of his hands, bringing one of them up to his lips to lightly kiss the knuckles, "I will confess, I too missed you once you left. I missed your warmth, your touch, your voice," He brought up the other and kissed the knuckles as well. "And you had only been gone for no longer than five minutes. It is like every moment longer I spend with you, or even think of you, the more I care for you."

A warm smile managed to crawl up to Jupiter's flushed face and Legolas's breath hitched at the sight. It was always breathtaking to see his rose truly smile at him with such adoration, he can hardly believe that it was all because of him. "Legolas... Man, I wish I can be as poetic as you are."

"Kiss me."

Jupiter laughed quietly at the sudden demand, shaking his head. "Not yet, I have to get back to work and if I start now, I won't be able to stop. I'm having trouble holding back as is. I'll do whatever you want when I get home, okay?"

Legolas huffed when he felt the man begin to pull away from him, his hands slipping out of his. The archer didn't hesitate to grab the collar of his shirt and jerk him back towards him, pressing their lips together into a long, sweet kiss. He then broke away and opened his eyes to see Jupiter slightly dazed as he blinked owlishly. The elf grinned slyly at him, "I'll be waiting for you." His hand lingered on his chest as he stepped away before leaving the bathroom.

When the door shut, he stood there like an idiot without breathing for a few seconds.

" _Fuck_ , he's sexy." Jupiter whispered to himself in one single, harsh breath as he pressed his hand over his chest where there was a rapid banging beneath it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Just a tiny announcement, at some point I'll be answering questions in a chapter so please, ASK AWAY! About me, the story, whatever. When there are enough questions, I'll answer all of them at the end of a chapter (I have this fanfic posted on a couple of other sites, so I'll answer all of them together). :D
> 
> If there are any grammar/spelling errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	25. XXV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter joined Manny in bed under the covers without disturbing her, although it would be hard to considering her snores. He sighed, making himself comfortable as the girl beside him unconsciously turned on her side to face him and curl up into his side. For a brief moment, he wished that the elf reading the last couple of chapters of the bioenergetic book downstairs was cuddling him instead.

The second he had come back home a few hours ago, the scientist immediately stole Legolas from the intense Uno game everyone was participating in and brought him to the lab. After tearing off his tie, and accidentally unbuttoning a few buttons of his shirt along the way, he had wrapped his arms around his One and nuzzled into his neck as Legolas laughed whilst returning the embrace happily.

Once the ellon managed to pry him off of him, Legolas had excitedly told him about what else he had learned from the bioenergetics book which quickly led to question after question shot at Jupiter. He answered each one patiently, eventually leading to him showing Legolas all of the books that he can read to have more of an understanding of the content in the one he was currently reading.

It had been relaxing with Jupiter easing himself into interdimensional research while the elf was given an advanced biology textbook that was flipped to a chapter that thoroughly explained what exactly cells are. The man had even found music on Spotify that was relaxing but wasn't too boring, and played it as a quiet background noise.

Jupiter had severely underestimated the speed at which Legolas was going to finish the chapter and get a complete understanding of it. It was in the middle of writing an observation down into his notebook at the computer desk did the elf approach him, grabbing his attention by placing his hand on his shoulder. He stopped writing immediately and spun his chair around to face Legolas, "Yeah?"

Legolas's face was flushed and had prompted Jupiter to raise a brow at the sight, wondering what could have caused it. Luckily, his internal questions were answered when he asked, "Do you not remember what you promised me?"

At first, his suitor was confused, but he appeared to remember after a moment and then smirked, "Oh, yeah, I said that I would do whatever you wanted. What do you desire, Legolas?"

"You." The archer had said before he could even stop himself.

"Hm... Yeah, I desire me too. A better love story than Twilight, I'd say."

The reference flew right over Legolas's head considering how he has never seen Twilight - Jupiter will protect him from those movies at all costs - but nonetheless, the exasperated elf gave him a half-hearted glare, "Brat."

"Brat?" He repeated, chuckling, "That's a new one. Alright, I'm sorry, that was mean. You've been waiting all night for me, so I'm all your's."

Jupiter yelped when Legolas immediately pounced, kissing the life out of him as he got comfortable on his lap. He wasn't complaining at all, but all throughout their seemingly endless time kissing he was a bit worried that Legolas was getting an addiction from it. It was the first official day of being together, yet they have already done more than he has ever done in his past relationships and it has only been a day... Well, a day and a half if you count the other night. However, the worry was erased when Legolas took control of the kiss this time and he sank into his touch. To be completely honest, he was addicted as well.

Unfortunately, before they could go as far as they had earlier that day, Jupiter had to pull and turn his head away to yawn in his hand. Legolas only smiled fondly and told him that it was late, climbing off of his lap.

Now he was smiling like a dumbass in bed thinking about the time they spent together today.

Shifting slightly, he managed to fall asleep with less of a struggle at the thought of blonde hair and blue eyes.

...The girl beside him opened one of her eyes.

* * *

Jupiter woke up feeling like absolute shit. He'll never get used to the feeling of waking up after a nightmare, it was worse than waking up after a long night of drinking. They tend to happen when he actually does get a decent amount of sleep, and end up waking up and feeling as if he had no more than an hour of shuteye. Unfortunately, the nightmares have been more often and get especially bad during the nights he has the most trouble sleeping.

Groaning, he turned off his phone that was blaring its alarm and grabbed his glasses and slid them onto his face. Shockingly, Manny was not here anymore. That was... strange. Jupiter is usually the one dragging her out of bed,  _especially_  on Mondays. As he stood up he stepped on some fabric laying on the floor. He picked it up and immediately saw that it was the shirt he had been wearing when he went to bed. He must have taken it off during his nightmare.

As he entered the bathroom he pondered about why he couldn't remember his nightmares. When he wakes up, his memory of the dream was usually extremely fuzzy, but he was aware that whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. Jupiter desperately did not want to remember them, but a part of him really wanted to know what had him sometimes shooting up from where he laid, panting and sweating.

The scientist tossed his shirt into the laundry bin and tiredly did his business before washing his hands then grabbing his toothbrush. He leaned heavily onto the edge of his sink as he brushed his teeth, absentmindedly wondering how he was going to stay in touch with Legolas while he was in school... Maybe he could give him one of his old phones?... But he doesn't want to look like he's picking favorites without telling everyone that they're courting... He'll come up with some type of excuse.

Once he rinsed his mouth he looked up at the mirror to peek at his refle-

" _...MAAAANNY!_ "

Everyone downstairs jumped at the enraged scream coming from upstairs soon followed by the sharp sound of a door slamming and stomping feet. Legolas, who had been tending to his roses as he waited for his suitor to awaken, looked at Manny in exasperation, "What have you done now, Manny?" As the stomping grew near, he became more concerned about her impending doom and prepared to face his furious partner.

"Oh,  _psh_ , nothing." Manny waved his question away as both Pippin and Merry began to sweat from where they sat on the couch, "Just a sprinkle of revenge is all."

Finally, Jupiter appeared before them and everyone other than Legolas, Manny, Pippin, and Merry dropped whatever was in their hands, which mostly consisted of Uno cards. The elf whispered an, "Oh dear." As the raging man glared hotly at the grinning woman as he points at his not-so-red hair, "What the  _fuck_  did you do to my  _hair_?!"

"I made it hotter. You're welcome."

"Fuck you, hot my ass, you dyed my fucking hair fucking blonde!"

"That's the point. Again, you're welcome."

The man caught sight of the two sweating hobbits and his eyes zeroed in on them, "You two little shits were in on it, too?!"

Pippin opened and closed his mouth dumbly before Merry jabbed his elbow into his side, causing him to blurt out, "We helped put it on!"

Suddenly, Gimli bursts out into joyful laughter, slapping his knee as Jupiter turned his murderous gaze back over to him, "Ya look just like the elf! It doesn't look half bad on ya, lad!" Another round of guffawing escaped him and soon everyone that had been silent joined in. They laughed even harder when Jupiter cussed them all out, venting all of his anger at them all. They couldn't take him seriously with the blonde hair.

As the laughter died down, Jupiter calmed down slightly, but his face was still twisted into a scowl. He looked at Manny, "This was because of yesterday, wasn't it?"

The brunette's grin widened, giggling. That's all he needed to hear.

Legolas was immensely entertained by the scene before him, but now he was feeling quite bad for Jupiter. The man was still glowering at all of them as they got the last of their chuckles out. Though, he seems to be the only one that noticed that he was... pouting slightly. It was... endearing.

At first, he had been greatly shocked and horrified that his other half lost one of the aspects that made him a rose. But then as Jupiter chewed out the culprit - or more like  _culprits_  - for dyeing his hair blonde, Legolas found that he didn't mind it all too much. Actually, it suited him. Even though his eyes appear brighter with his red hair, blonde still suited him. The shade of blonde was similar to his own and it was rather nice to see something of his on Jupiter. It gave him a strange feeling of satisfaction.

Jupiter being shirtless was also a plus.

"Of all days, you had to do it on a school day." The man sighed, seeming to accept his fate. He should be used to her stupid pranks by now, but this was his  _hair_  we're talking about. He actually cared about it, unlike most people that he knows. "Whatever, I'm gonna shower."

Jupiter nearly fell down the stairs when he heard Merry ask, "Manny, didn't the box say that it is washable?"

* * *

"Here."

Legolas took the iPhone that was handed to him and looked at Jupiter, who had his red hair back, in confusion. "Why are you giving me this?"

The man stuffed his hands into his pockets as he leaned back into the lab table. He looked off to the side with cheeks tinted a rosy color, "So we can still talk while I'm away. It's my old phone and it's cracked, but it still works just fine. I'll teach you how to text and everything before I leave. You can talk to me at any time, but don't be surprised if I don't respond right away, especially at work since phones are forbidden-"

His rambling was abruptly cut off when something warm pressed against his cheek. Jupiter looked back at the elf, who gave him a relieved smile, "Thank you, Jupiter. I had been worried that we would not have as much time together as I was hoping. So far, things have been interrupting it and... I'm glad I get to talk to you even when you are not by my side."

Legolas was prepared for the kiss that came upon him and immediately returned it, but Jupiter cut it short. "I still have twenty minutes to show you how to use it and give you more chapters to read from my textbooks along with the work so I know how much you understand. You up for the challenge?"

The elf matched the other's smirk, "Always."

* * *

Jupiter wanted to strangle his English teacher. She was making them watch a stupid fucking Frankenstein movie, and gave them a worksheet to compare and contrast the book and movie along with many questions. Why couldn't she just let them watch just the movie? It's not like he or anyone else was going to actually put in the effort to fill out the entire thing and knowing her, she won't even bother checking if anyone actually did the work.

Once the movie started and the lights shut off, Jupiter sighed, laying his head on top of his folded arms on top of his desk. Fuck it, he wasn't doing it. And if she does take a peek, he'll scribble in something so she doesn't bitch at him.

Just as he was about to close his eyes in order to rest them as he basked in the silence that was only filled with the voices coming from the speakers, his phone vibrated in his pocket, indicating he received a notification. The redhead nearly groaned out loud as he pulled it out and turned it on beneath his desk, quickly lowering the brightness.

His annoyance was washed away in an instant when he saw the contact name he had chosen before he left for school.

_Jupiter's Doll ;)_ _: Hello, Jupiter._

He replied instantly,

_Rose_ _: I was starting to get a bit worried. I was fully expecting you to text me the second I got here._

It took a minute for Legolas to respond,

_Jupiter's Doll ;)_ _: Boromir spilled his drink onto the floor when Sam bumped into him, so I had helped clean it._

_Jupiter's_ _Doll_ _;): Jupiter, talking to you like this is... strange._

_Rose: Oh, thanks for helping out. And, I know, you'll get used to it the more you do it. Anyway, what are you up to right now?_

_Jupiter's Do_ _ll_ _;): I am reading in the lab. What of you? If I'm not wrong, you are not too busy at the moment._

_Rose: Teacher is making us watch a shitty movie so I have a good half an hour of free time. Thank god you texted me now, I was about to die from boredom._

_Jupiter's Dol_ _l_ _;): You're always dying from boredom, Jupiter._

He snorted quietly,

_Rose_ _: Shut up._

_Jupiter's Doll_ _;): Would you still tell me to shut up if I told you that blonde is absolutely stunning on you?_

Okay, that was sudden. And that surprised him. He definitely wasn't complaining though,

_Rose_ _: Maybe, maybe not. Legolas, are you trying to flirt with me?_

_Jupiter's Doll ;)_ _: Maybe, maybe not._

His smirk widens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to flirt please don't hurt me I tried.
> 
> Sorry that this one wasn't long, I've been a bit busy this week *cough* binge watching anime *cough*. Next chapter will be longer, hopefully! :D
> 
> Btw, if you want to see Jupiter with blonde hair, head over to my Wattpad: SugoiPommy and go to the story and chapter!
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	26. XXVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the extremely late update!
> 
> If you don't follow me on Wattpad, I had sent a message to all of my followers that my laptop had broken and gave updates on its status. As you can tell, it took a while to fix, but we're all good now! Again, sorry for the delay and inconvenience. D:
> 
> I made this chapter a bit longer than usual and I plan to hopefully post again at the usual time this week, returning to my usual schedule. I say HOPEFULLY because I'm getting surgery tomorrow. Nothing serious, just a baby tooth being pulled out and my gums getting cut open, no biggy, but I know I'm going to be tired af a couple of days following it so it depends on how I'm feeling. I don't know what to expect from the surgery other than a sore mouth and drowsiness.
> 
> Anyway, if I decide not to post again this week, then normal updates will be back next week on the same day as usual.
> 
> If anything else like this comes up again, make sure to follow me on Wattpad (SugoiPommy) so you can see if anything comes up out of the blue.
> 
> Enough about that, I'll leave you to this chapter!
> 
> WARNING: Hello, nice to meet you, I am not a doctor. The stuff in this chapter (you'll see) is from research on the internet. Please, if anything is not accurate, pretend it is for the sake of the story. Lol.
> 
> ANOTHER ONE: Depending on whether or not you have a sensitive heart, grab some tissues.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Manny glared in a displeased manner as she angrily chewed on the second dry turkey sandwich that she had bought from the cafeteria. She was not a happy camper. She was definitely not a happy camper. All because of her best friend that was sitting next to her, completely disregarding his half-eaten orange, rapidly tapping on his phone, and ignoring her. She does not enjoy Jupiter not listening to her during lunchtime, one of the only times they can talk freely during school time.

Swallowing her mouthful of food, she dropped the sandwich back on her styrofoam plate and said blandly, "So, Jupiter, I decided to join a cult."

"Mhm..."

"Yeah, it's a really sexual cult where everyone just humps each other all day, every day. We're going to sacrifice a virgin or two under a full moon to summon a sex demon, it's going to be great."

"Uh-huh..."

She was fed up with him now. At a speed that she wasn't even aware of having, she snatched his phone out of his hand and ignored his shout of indignation. Right before he lunged to grab his phone back, she raised her foot and nearly slammed it into his chest to hold him back, "Don't you dare try to take it back, mister! You haven't let go of this thing out of your sight all week long during school and the mystery is killing me! Plus I need to know who's attention is worth more than mine."

"Manny, just give it back to me and-" Jupiter coughed when her foot shoved him in his chest a little as a warning.

"It's too late to negotiate, nerd." She then finally looked at the screen of his phone which was already opened to the message app. Her brows furrow in confusion at the contact name and began scrolling through the long conversation...

...And then bursts out laughing.

The scientist felt heat rush up to his face and he made another attempt to grab his phone out of her hand again, but Manny's legs were stronger than her arms so he didn't move much, which added to his current embarrassment. "Dammit, Manny, that's private!" He protested lamely, knowing that it was useless to try to stop her now.

"Holy shit, I can practically taste the cheese from the contact name and- holy crap, Legolas  _sucks_  at flirting and that's saying something coming from me."

"For fuck's sake-" Jupiter shoved her leg away and snatched his phone back, clutching it to his chest protectively, "First of all, Legolas likes the contact name, second of all... He's not  _that_  bad. He's never been a real relationship before and I think it's fucking adorable as shit, thank you very much."

"Jesus, no wonder you've been glued to your phone." She pinches the bridge of her nose, "Wow, you really are a hopeless romantic. When did you get Legolas a phone anyway?"

"Monday. I gave him my old phone so we can talk since we weren't very... keen on spending most of the day not communicating with each other. It was the only thing I could think of in order for us to stay in touch."

Manny opened her mouth to sarcastically thank him for making her want to give Frodo her old phone now, but she quickly snapped it shut. She had nearly forgotten about her revenge and how she was going to drag it out until she was satisfied. Instead, she rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Do what you want, just try not to ignore me. What if I really was joining a sex cult?"

"...What the fuck are you talking about?"

* * *

Jupiter was a little more exhausted than usual when he came back home. Manny had immediately gone to work after school while he took a trip to the grocery store and pharmacy to buy some over the counter sleeping medication. His sleeping habits have been dwindling more and more, and the nightmares have been getting worse. It's come to the point where he remained lying there the night before without a wink of sleep. He almost wished that he had gone downstairs to Legolas, but he didn't want to worry him.

He's just hoping that the pills will help him get at least a few hours of sleep without any disturbances. As the scientist parked his car and leaned back in his seat, he considers visiting the doctor to get prescription drugs to manage his... withdrawal symptoms.

Once Legolas had told him how he felt about his smoking and drinking problem, he had stopped immediately. It was going perfectly fine at first with small urges that were expected, but... He wasn't expecting the withdrawals to hit him so suddenly. Apparently, his mutation couldn't get rid of an addiction. Fun. Just one more thing on his list of things he needed to look into.

His symptoms were small at first. Headaches, tingling at the tips of his fingers, things that he thought nothing of at first. But then it wasn't just headaches and tingling. It progressed into occasional violent tremors of his hands that come so suddenly that it startles him, and the room suddenly starting to spin. Not only that, it began to affect him mentally as well. Forgetting to put on his safety glasses in the lab, having an issue staying focused when teaching Legolas - and worst of all - making his insomnia worse and throwing up what was left in his stomach into the toilet after waking up from nightmares.

The redhead was almost one hundred percent sure that Legolas knew something was wrong with him. He has asked many times if he was alright and each time Jupiter would reassure him that he was before changing the subject. Jupiter could recall that one time when his headaches have been especially bad, that his anger suddenly spiked and he snapped at him. He had immediately apologized, panicking, but Legolas was still kind to him and knew that he was going through a rough day.

He didn't want to worry him about something as stupid as withdrawals. They'll go away. He just needs some meds that'll help calm down the symptoms so they won't be as noticeable. They'll all go away with time. Fuck... He's so fucking  _tired_ and everything fucking  _hurts_. He skipped gym today, why the fuck are his muscles aching like he just sprinted an entire marathon? Damn it, he just needs to pull through this for a little while longer.

Jupiter grunted as he stepped out of his car with the grocery bags clutched in his hands and hanging on his forearms. They were pretty much out of everything in the kitchen, so he made sure he got enough to last them for a while longer. Somehow, he was able to press the button on his keychain to lock the car door.

_Shit, a cigarette would be amazing to have right now._

With a little trouble due to the many groceries in his hands, he managed to unlock the door and kicked it open. He nearly sighed in relief when he stepped inside and kicked the door closed behind him.

_A shot of straight vodka would be fucking heavenly._

"Jupiter!"

The man's sour mood did a complete one-eighty, his previous thoughts now forgotten. He gave a tired smirk to his favorite elf who was quickly approaching him, "Mind helping me, darlin'?" He lazily drawled out.

Legolas eyebrows rose upon hearing the thickening of his strange accent that Manny didn't seem to have as he swiftly grabbed half of the bags, but didn't question it. This has happened every now and then, but only when Jupiter was especially exhausted.

As they carried them into the kitchen, he looked around, "Is everyone outside?"

"Yes, I came back inside once I saw you return." The elf nods as he set the bags onto the counter with him before beginning to put away the groceries.

Jupiter made to do the same, taking out a carton of milk, but it was swiped out of his hand and he was suddenly gently pushed aside, "No, no, let me put everything away."

"But-"

"Jupiter, you look like you are about to fall asleep standing up. Even just for a few minutes, will you please relax?"

The scientist sighed deeply and relented, although reluctantly, jumping up a bit in order to sit on the counter, "What is up with people snatching things away from me today? I can't catch a break." He joked.

Legolas chuckled as he began stocking up the fridge, "I'm sure they did it for a reason just as good as mine. You can be rather stubborn at times."

"Wow, the pot calling the kettle black. How fun." Jupiter smirked, pushing his glasses up so they were on his head in order to rub the tiredness out of his eyes without smudging the lenses.

The grin that was on the archer's face dwindled down into a frown as he watched him. He didn't realize until now how horrible the dark circles under his eyes are... They were bad as is, but now they just looked dreadful, near painful even. Legolas stepped closer to him until he was standing between his legs that were hanging off the edge of the counter, "Jupiter..."

Half-lidded golden eyes, dull from fatigue, looked down at him, "Yeah?"

"How are you sleeping?"

"...On a bed. Snuggled up in blankets."

"Jupiter, I am being serious."

He huffed and reached out to cup the other's cheek, smiling slightly at the feeling of him pressing back against it. He took his time taking in every detail of his One's face that he has long since memorized, brushing his thumb over his soft bottom lip. His eyes snapped back to connect with sharp, blue eyes - that have long since become his new favorite color - when he heard the other's breath hitch and smirked once he realized that Legolas was getting increasingly flustered.

Jupiter tilted his head up by his chin and leaned down to give him an open mouth kiss. Pulling away, he was deeply pleased by the sight of him blushing all the way up to the tips of his pointy ears. If this is what happens when he just teasingly brushes his tongue over the tip of his, he couldn't wait to see what happens the next time he does it in a much more private setting.

Knowing that he didn't answer the question, he breathed out a small sigh, "Not that great. I got some pills to help me sleep some more, so I should be fine."

"Are you sure? I know that you have a difficult time sleeping as is, so if it is getting worse..." Legolas trailed off.

"I'll tell you when it gets really bad. I promise." And he will. He's gone through worse, days of not sleeping at all at some point in his life, and only getting the rest he needed from passing out suddenly due to exhaustion and overexertion.

Legolas gave a nod and leaned up to press a short kiss to his lips before reluctantly stepping away in order to continue putting away the groceries.

...Jupiter can't get the thought of smoke curling around his lungs like a blanket and the soothing burn of whiskey going down his throat out of his head.

* * *

_He couldn't breathe._

_Oh, god, he can't breathe._

_Everything around him was blurry, but he can see that he was in a murky blue liquid tinted with red that completely surrounded him. The blue darkness stretched out far around him and it appeared neverending as he continued sinking. He was waving his weak, small limbs around, but he can feel that it was only making him sink faster._

_The erratic thumping of his heart hurt his eardrums. It was the only thing that he can hear. He was so terrified, the horror that he had witnessed only seconds ago still latched onto his mind as his tears and blood mixed with the water. He was going to die. He knows he's going to die. He doesn't want to die! Everything hurts so much and he needs_ air _._

_His chest tightened painfully as his back met the very bottom of the mass of water, knocking all of the air that was still in his lungs out into the water. He was petrified at the sight of the bubbles spilling out of his mouth, the precious air that he was trying to keep within him, all gone... But what was the point of caring about it? What was the point of trying to stay alive when he has no chance of surviving this? When the reason why he was alive up until this point is gone!... Even if someone were to come to save him, it would be too late by the time he's brought back to the surface._

_It was unexpected when he lost control of his body and it instinctively took a deep breath in._

_His eyes widen as he clawed at his torn up shirt on his chest. His lungs were on fire, it felt as if burning hot lava was tearing through them and the salty water he managed to swallow in uncontrollable gulps tore through his esophagus and stomach like he had drunk molten metal. Darkness finally began to inch up from the corners of his eyes and his clawing weakened as his body began to lose all sensation of touch._

_He couldn't scream. He couldn't move. He couldn't even cry anymore. His fractured leg, the gaping slice on his hip, the various cuts and bruises all over his body being soaked with the salt water could never compare to the excruciating torture of the water searing through his most vital organs._

_Even as he was losing consciousness, the pain continued without delay._

_All too suddenly, he felt a pressure grip around the back of his neck and pull him out of the water. He immediately gasped for air, the salt water that was trapped in his lungs and stomach suddenly gone. His head was forced upwards and he was met with coal black eyes._

* * *

Legolas had forced Jupiter to go to sleep earlier than usual and was happy that he did without any struggle after taking one of the pills that he had said he was going to take. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked, knocking him out an hour later right when Manny came back home from work. He had warned her that Jupiter was sleeping before she went to the bedroom.

Manny then chatted with everyone while eating her share of dinner that she had warmed up - luckily without burning anything - and decided to call it a night a while after she finished. Everyone wished each other goodnight and went to their respective rooms, leaving Legolas by himself to relax with the television all to himself and to be concerned about Jupiter, naturally.

He had found a particular channel that focused and revolved around animals. It mostly consisted of documenting certain animals remotely with a disembodied voice narrating a carefully knitted story of their lives. Upon seeing that the story for tonight was about a pack of wolves, he leaned back and watched with a small smile.

It was when he got to the end of the second documentary that night, which so happened to be one that he has already seen, did he hear someone coming downstairs in a hurry. Legolas looked over just in time to see a frazzled Manny step off the last step before quickly approaching him, "Hey, Legolas."

"Manny, are you well? It's quite late."

"Oh, I'm fine, it's just that... Um... It's Jupiter."

The elf immediately stood up and the woman saw the concern spark and spread in his eyes like a wildfire, "What happened?"

"Okay, how do I put this..." Manny took a deep breath as she tried to calm down her bedhead, "Did Jupiter tell you about his nightmares?"

"Wha-  _Nightmares?_ "

She winced at his incredulous response, "Of course he didn't. So, to put this simply, he occasionally gets them which pretty much feeds his insomnia. Lately, it's been getting worse, appearing every night so far and he doesn't know that I know this. I just woke up a minute ago and... and this has gotta be one of the worst ones after months. He's having a straight up night terror and I don't know what to do because it looks so friggin' scary. The walls are soundproof, so you can't hear it, but he was  _screaming_ , Legolas-"

Legolas didn't bother to let her continue, he was already speeding up the stairs with his heart racing with sheer dread clinging onto him. He nearly slammed the door open, barely managing to calmly close it behind him as he watched the writhing form on the bed. He felt his heart drop when a sob and whimper reached his ears, quickly walking over to the side of the bed and sitting on the edge, preparing to awaken his poor rose.

The sight before him broke his heart, tearing it to shreds and it physically pained him. Jupiter was shirtless, sweating, and had long since kicked the blankets off of his body. He was trembling violently, scratching his bare chest raw as he struggled against whatever was hurting him in his night terror. Legolas hurriedly grabbed his wrists to pull his hands away from his chest and he nearly began to cry himself when a pained scream wretched itself out followed by a whimper as he violently struggled against him.

"Jupiter!" The elf shouted over his scream. How was he unable to hear him scream downstairs? He can vaguely remember hearing the faint sound of glass shattering during Jupiter's explosive reaction to Isabelle's betrayal, but he had thought it was just him until he and everyone felt the vibration of something extremely heavy being slammed onto the floor upstairs. Was it because of the television that he couldn't hear his screams? "Please, Jupiter,  _meril-nîn_ , wake up!"

It had no effect, only more whimpers and sobs as tears cascaded down his cheeks uncontrollably. He took a hold of one of his shoulders and shook him roughly, " _Jupiter!_ "

Finally,  _finally_ , the scientist's eyes snapped open with a large gasp of air. He immediately panicked, a burst of strength being more than enough to rip his wrists out of his grip and sit up with horror-filled eyes blown wide. A hand slapped over his mouth as he convulsed and he stumbled off the bed, nearly tripping as he rushed into the bathroom, slapping the wall until he found the light switch on his way to the toilet before falling onto his knees in front of it and emptying his stomach into it.

Jupiter saw someone kneeling beside him from the corner of his eye as he threw up and felt fingers soothingly run through his damp hair as gentle Sindarin words were whispered to him softly. After dry heaving into the toilet for a few more minutes, nausea finally ebbed away and his stomach was cramping badly from the strain. He panted roughly, staring at his shaky hands that grasped the toilet seats.

Pure rage escaped him in one single burst and he slammed his fist onto the toilet seat with a growled shout, " _Fuck_!"

He was immediately shushed softly, hands guiding him to a large body of warmth that fit perfectly in his arms. Everything still hurt. He was so fucking drained and spent that he didn't know what to do other than allow his One to embrace him and press kisses onto his head as he continued whispering soothingly to him. It can all just go away and he knows exactly how to do it, but he  _promised_.

"Le... Legolas..." He rasped out weakly, resting his head on his shoulder. "The cigarettes... I put them all in the-.. the bottom left drawer. Throw them out, incinerate them, I don't care. The alcohol... It's hidden throughout the kitchen, du-.. dump it all into the sink. F-Fuck, I can't stop fuckin' shaking!..."

"Jupiter what in the  _hell_  is happening?" Legolas demanded, still clutching onto him like a lifeline, "You never told me about your nightmares! And how you have been all week, the shaking, the headaches, the mood swings, I didn't pry because I knew you did not want to talk about it yet. But take a look at yourself, you're as pale as snow, trembling horribly as if you had just walked through a blizzard bare,  _vomiting_. _Tell me_ , Jupiter. Do you have any idea how scared I was when I saw you?!"

The scientist lifted up his head weakly to look at him directly and the tears that were building up in his eyes again rolled over his still wet cheeks at the sight of watery blue orbs. He hung his head, gripping onto the fabric of Legolas's shirt tightly, "Withdrawals, Legolas. They're called withdrawals. My body is detoxing from the alcohol and nicotine."

"I thought that your... mutation was supposed to help with disposing of the bad part of them." He said, puzzled.

"Yeah, I kinda thought so too. I guess the mutation has its limits and doesn't get rid of  _everything_." Jupiter laughs bitterly, his throat dry, "I'm an addict, Legolas. I've been smoking and drinking for years, abusing them because they made me felt better, but after what you said... You're right, I don't need them anymore. If I have to go through this shit to stop, I'll do it over and over again just so you won't need to worry about my well-being anymore. You being with me feels so much better than a few cigarettes and a shit load of tequila."

"Jupiter... You should have told me sooner! I would have taken care of you and be better prepared for this so you wouldn't have to suffer so much."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I just didn't want to worry you. You worry enough as is... I just... I didn't think it would be so fucking bad. I thought I could handle it myself..."

"It's okay, do not fret any longer, I forgive you. What shall I do? What can I do to help?"

"Fir-.. First get rid of... of all of my stash like I told you... Before I... Before I fucking go completely mental knowing that it's all still here."

Legolas nodded his head stiffly, stroking his crimson hair, "You will be alright alone?"

"Yeah... Just.. Just do it, please." A kiss was quickly pressed against his forehead and cheek before his support and warmth disappeared.

Jupiter watched him rush out of the bathroom and turned back to the toilet, spitting out the disgusting taste left in his mouth into it before flushing. He struggled to climb onto his feet, using the wall as support to help guide him over to the sink. He brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth out, using some strong mouthwash for good measure and splashed water on his face to soothe his burning skin.

This all took a painfully long time, heavily leaning on the counter as he blanked out and struggled to do these simple tasks with his shaking hands. Deciding that he was clean enough, admittedly too incoherent and weak to shower at the moment, he slowly made his way out of the bathroom while holding onto the wall.

One small miscalculation as the room suddenly span for a long moment was enough for him to slip and fall back onto his knees. He grunted, his sore muscles struggling to push him back up onto his feet. The weakened man yelped when his elbow and knee suddenly gave out, causing him to collapse back on the ground. Slapping the floor, he shouted a furious, "Son of a bitch!"

He jolted when a hand was placed on his shoulder and a form knelt down beside him, "Fuck... Fuck, I'm so pathetic. I ca-... I can't even stand up!..."

"No, look at me, Jupiter." Legolas moved so that he was in front of him and cupped his cheeks, lifting his head up so that he was looking straight at him. "You are not pathetic, do you hear me? You are one of the strongest people that I know and I have met many strong warriors of all races. Just because you are going through this, does not mean you are weak. You do not fall prey to these temptations even when you are going through this pain and I am proud and thankful for that. I know for a fact that not many have the will to go through this and refuse to succumb, and I admire you for that. You  _never_  give up and that's what makes you strong."

"Dammit, Legolas..." Jupiter slurred out, "Are you  _tryin'_  to make me cry again?... Sh-.. Shit, darlin', I can't do this alone. I need you. I fucked up, I should have told you I was sick, I'm so sorry... I'm doin' this for you. You're too important to me 'n I don't want to see you sad no more, ya hear? I'll be better soon, I swear. Just give it time, darlin'."

The elf couldn't help but laugh breathlessly as he helped him sit up in order to properly embrace him, "Your accent. It's very different from Manny's, I have heard it a few times before. Where does it come from?"

"My parents were from the countryside, doll. I ended up catchin' their accents 'n it pops up every now 'n then. I'll try to force it down if ya don't like it..."

"No, I like it." Legolas said immediately, "I  _really_  like it. I hate to mention it now, but I met Isabelle's mother when Manny needed to retrieve something of Isabelle's, and her's is similar to yours. I have never heard it so strong before and I enjoy the sound of it."

"Good, 'cause at this point, I'm slap wore out 'n can't control it..." He rested his head on his shoulder, "I'm fixin' to get some water. I'm so damn thirsty..."

"No need, I've already brought some. Here, let me help you stand." Legolas pulled away from him in order to sidle up next to him and wrap an arm around his waist, "Lean as much as you need on me, I can take it."

Jupiter snorted, clutching onto his arm and the back of his shirt as he was assisted in standing up. Luckily, the bed was only several footsteps away and he didn't need to remain on his feet for long before he was settled down onto the edge of the bed. The redhead nearly whined when his warmth disappeared, but it reappeared just as quickly along with a tall glass of water being gently pressed into his shaky hands.

He stared down at the water being held in the clear glass - rippling as it shook in both of his hands - as if it were the bane of his existence. Forcing himself to steady his hands enough to be able to drink, he quickly gulped down the whole entire glass. Once he finished, it was taken out of his hands and he was guided down onto the bed. Jupiter's eyes snapped wide open once he felt his back press against the cool sheets and his hand shot out to grab Legolas's wrist.

"Don't leave." He whispered, tugging him closer, "Stay with me."

"I was never planning on leaving, my rose, but... do you want me to?..."

"Lay down with me."

Legolas couldn't control the warmth that seeped into his cheeks and he nods, his heart pounding as he allowed himself to be pulled down until he was half on the bed and half on Jupiter. Arms wrap securely around his waist as he laid his head on his chest, his pale cheeks becoming redder by the second upon hearing a rapid heartbeat.

"Did Manny get you?" Jupiter asked quietly and he felt a nod. He sighed, "It was that bad, huh?"

"I... found out Manny is sleeping in Frodo and Sam's room now when I went back downstairs. She also thought it was best if I were here instead of her, but Jupiter, you looked as if you were being  _tortured_." Legolas's voice wavered as he vividly remembered what he had witnessed, reaching up to brush his fingers over the fading red claw marks on his chest, "You were screaming and crying, and I tried to wake you... I never want to hear you scream like that ever again. Jupiter, what were you dreaming of?"

The body below him stiffened instantly and he reached down to grasp one of Jupiter's hands, "You do not need to tell me what happened now, but when you are ready, I wish to know."

"I want to tell you everythin'. One day I'll tell you everythin'. Every detail, I swear." Jupiter interlocked their fingers, "That nightmare I was havin'... Was a memory from nearly five years ago."

Legolas pushed himself up slightly with his other arm in order to look at him properly, stunned, "What?"

"Yeah, I know. I don't wanna say too much or else I'll go fuckin' crazy, but to keep it simple, my nightmares are always the same thing. I'm underwater 'n I can't breathe, 'n then I wake up. I can never go back to sleep afterward. Tonight, though, was different. I relived every moment before I got into the damn water 'n when I was down there, I felt everythin'. When I hit the bottom, I breathed in the water 'n it was like I was bein' burned alive from the inside out. All I was able to do was scratch my chest as I drowned... But then the pain went away. I was pulled out 'n... 'n I was lookin' at  _Ethan_."

Jupiter saw how fury sparked through his beautiful blue eyes, darkening them into a dangerous color, but he remained silent. Listening. "Ethan tortured me a bit when I was down in that basement. He was gettin' desperate, but I was lucky enough to pass out before I actually did drown."

The scientist jumped slightly when a droplet of a tear landed on his cheek from the elf above him. Before he could even begin to freak out and ask why he was crying, Legolas changed his position so that he was straddling Jupiter's hips, leaning down to press a few tearful kisses against his lips before pressing his forehead against his. "You have gone through so much, haven't you?" He sniffled, "This memory... It is much worse than I know already, isn't it?"

"Hey, don't cry, doll." Jupiter whispered worriedly, his trembling hand from around the other's waist moving up to wipe away his tears, "I should be the one cryin' and snivelin'."

"How can I not? You have gone through an unimaginable pain that runs deeper than I can ever imagine. It has haunted you for years and all I can think of is that through all of that, I was never there. I was never there to help you, to protect you, to give you the love that I know you desperately need..."

The man took a shaky breath, "Love, huh? That's... That's new. A strong word to use."

"Yes, but nonetheless, it's true." Legolas agreed, "Oh, my Jupiter, if only I..."

"If only you what? Met me sooner?" Jupiter gave him a small smile, "What's done is done. No more ifs, ands, or buts. It's true that if I met ya sooner that I would probably be a different person today, but who says I still can't change? You have no idea how much you have helped me already just be stayin' by my side, doll."

"Then I will remain by your side until fate drags me away, kicking and screaming."

His arm slithered back around the other's waist and his fingers thread through platinum blonde hair, pulling Legolas down until their lips were locked together. Jupiter was pleasantly surprised by how passionately Mirkwood's prince reciprocated the kiss and copied his enthusiasm. Unbeknownst to him, his trembling was reduced back down to stillness.

Legolas briefly pulled away in order to stare down at Jupiter's half-lidded eyes. A shiver ran through him as anticipation filled him at the sight of his golden eyes glowing in a predatory manner. Jupiter rose a brow up at him, "What? I don't taste gross, do I? I made sure to use that mouthwash until my mouth went numb."

"No," He chuckled. "You're perfect."

"Then c'mere."

He obeyed, moving down with his lips slightly parted until they were centimeters apart, causing Jupiter to give him an open mouth kiss that didn't last a second or two like earlier that day. It continued on with Legolas following along until the redhead brushed the tip of his tongue against his. A shock of warmth went through the blonde at the contact and let out an involuntary hum through the kiss.

Jupiter tentatively did it again and this time, Legolas encouraged it, pressing his own back against his. That was enough for the redhead to gain enough confidence to entangle their tongues together. Legolas pressed his hand against his chest with his fingers splayed out and allowed his suitor to take dominance, massaging their tongues together in the most sensual way possible.

Jupiter flipped the both of them over and broke the kiss in order for the both of them to catch their breath. "F-Fuck... Fuck, shit, fuckity-fuck." He gasped out, "Do us both a favor 'n don't look down."

"What do you-" Of course, Legolas looked down. "...mean."

The redhead groaned and his forehead dropped onto his shoulder as both of their faces began to match the color of his hair, "I told ya not to look."

"I-It's alright." Legolas swallowed thickly, "I am not much better than you."

Jupiter immediately lifted his head up slightly and looked down, "Oh, yeah, you're right." He grinned devilishly when his arm was whacked and the body above him rolled off of him.

Deciding that it was best to change the subject for both of their sakes, he took a hold of his hand from where he laid on his side, "I can only assume that you are feeling better?"

"For now, yeah." Jupiter shrugged, watching as the blonde played with his fingers. He was still sore and had a lingering headache, but at least he wasn't shaking anymore. "Legolas, I don't think I can go back to sleep... I don't- I  _can't_  relive it again. Not tonight."

"You need the rest. Can you at least... try? I will be right here with you the entire time, by your side."

"...Okay." Jupiter agreed easily, knowing that it was worth a shot. "Okay, I'll try. No promises that I'll fall asleep, but if I do, just... If I do anythin' weird, wake me up."

"Of course." Legolas pulled the blankets over the both of them, "I will watch over and take care of you."

"Thanks, darlin'." He muttered, pulling the other close to him by his waist and nuzzling into his chest.

The elf wrapped his arms around his shoulders and made to ask if he was comfortable, but he barely managed to get the first word out before he caught sight of Jupiter's closed eyes and his even breathing.

Legolas smiled warmly at the serene expression on the man's face, pressing a kiss onto his forehead as he threaded his fingers through his crimson hair. "Good night, Jupiter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meril-nin: my rose
> 
> I'm not from the countryside so please don't flame me. Lololol.
> 
> If there are any grammar/spelling errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	27. XXVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So, if you hadn't seen my message on Wattpad, I said that I would post the next chapter today because of a surprise I have for you guys!
> 
> So, if you were wondering about the surgery I was supposed to get... It didn't happen lol. I need braces first before they could cut my gums open and they didn't pull anything out since they want to do it all at the same time, ooPS. Sorry about that, hehe, I'll warn all of you next time when I know for sure that it's going to happen.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

What had awoken Legolas was sunlight streaming through the curtains.

His already open, glazed eyes blink rapidly as he came to before squinting against the bright light. Legolas muttered under his breath unintelligibly whilst he instinctively reached out for the warmth that had been in his arms when he had fallen asleep, only to touch sheets that were slowly losing its previous warmth from the body that had laid there.

The elf was immediately alert, quickly sitting up and looking over to where his suitor should be. As he had thought, he wasn't. Just as he was about to call out his name, he registered the sound of the shower running behind the bathroom door. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he relaxed and decided to check the time using Jupiter's phone that was set on the nightstand beside his folded glasses.

To his surprise, it was noon. He wasn't sure what time it was last night when... Manny told him about Jupiter, but he was sure that the both of them had gotten at least seven hours of sleep, which was strange considering he usually needs no more than five hours to give his mind the rest it needs. Well, he supposes that he hasn't rested his mind for quite a while and it wasn't as if he was complaining, really.

Legolas's thoughts were interrupted when the bathroom door opened and some steam filtered in the room before completely disappearing through the air. Out came his rose, who now donned black gym shorts and a rather colorful, pastel tie-dye hoodie. The hoodie was white but had splotches of pink, blue, purple, and light green covering nearly the entirety of it.

The redhead was still drying his hair off as he walked out, furiously rubbing the small towel into his hair in an attempt to dry it off faster. With a huff, he haphazardly tossed it back into the bathroom, presumably into the hamper and spun around as he ran his fingers through his wild hair. He blinked when he saw a wide-awake elf sitting up on his bed, "Oh, you're awake."

"And you as well." Legolas gave him a small grin as he approached, "I assume you're feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks to you. I don't think I've slept that well in years. The shower helped with the aching a bit." Jupiter sat on the edge of the bed right next to the elf and was quick to catch him off guard with a peck on the tip of his nose. It briefly made Legolas go cross-eyed at the sudden move and blush, "You scared the shit out of me when I woke up. I didn't think the whole sleeping with your eyes open was actually a thing with elves."

"Ah, yes, I should have warned you, but I wasn't expecting to do so last night, especially for so long." Legolas then suddenly frowned slightly, "Your accent has disappeared."

"What do you- Oh. The whole southern dialect thing. At this point, I'm just used to covering it up so I wouldn't draw attention at Hell- I mean, school."

"Well, can you perhaps... Not conceal it from me? Only if it is alright with you, I do not want to force you."

Jupiter looked at him for a long moment before climbing on top of Legolas, pushing the other back down on the bed and straddling his hips while placing his forearms on either side of his head to support himself above him. The blonde sucked in a sharp breath when their lips brush against each other, "Jupiter?..."

"Didn't think ya liked it that much, darlin'."

Legolas's cheeks warmed even more, "Of course, I do. It's unique and it suits you well."

"Oh, so there ain't another reason why ya like it?"

Sighing, he rubbed his temples as the man poked him and snickered upon hearing his silence, "Sometimes,  _amin n'rangwa_   _edanea_."

Then one second the redhead was still trying to calm down his chuckling and the next second he was off of Legolas, spluttering from a pillow being slammed into his face. Repeatedly.

"Okay, okay-  _Ow_ -  _Okay_! Alright, I'm sorry! I was teasing!" Jupiter was absolutely relieved when the assault stopped and he glared challengingly back at the elf who was trying his hardest to keep his own hysterics at bay, "Sheesh, if ya really wanted to, you could probably kill somebody with that thing just from hittin' them enough."

Legolas feigned disinterest in his apology and slipped out from underneath the blankets, heading towards the bedroom door, "I am going to go bathe as well."

"Wait- Son of a-" The elf stopped in front of the door without turning around in an attempt to hide the grin that was slowly growing back as he heard stumbling behind him - he is positive that the scientist had tripped and nearly fell - before arms were wrapped around his waist and pulled close to a clothed chest. "Will a kiss make you feel better, darlin'?"

"Hm, I'm not sure. Maybe you should show me and I shall decide for myself?"

Jupiter's golden eyes glinted, "Don't mind if I do." He turned him around so that Legolas faced him. Tangling his fingers into his messy blonde hair, he gave the archer a deep kiss as he gripped his hip.

Kissing back, Legolas's eyes fell closed as he draped his arms around his neck, easily melting into the sweet kiss until the redhead abruptly broke it. "How's that?"

"...I-It will suffice." He said, stumbling over his words a little.

"Good." The scientist's smirk faltered for a split second, "Legolas, I'm gonna say somethin' to you. Just... Try not to make fun of me too much when I do it."

"Well, since you have given me such a generous gift as an apology, I will try my best."

Jupiter nods and cleared his throat, before speaking with utmost confidence, " _Cormamin lindua ele lle_."

As he was expecting, Legolas snorted and snickered as soon as he heard the words come out of his mouth. The elf failed to cease it, "I'm sorry, Jupiter, but your pronunciation was just dreadful! Not to mention that, that was much too formal for someone like you."

"I know." He grumbled, scowling and wincing from the embarrassment flooding through him, "I've been tryin' to learn a little online so I can actually understand some of the things you say, 'n also since it's... y'know, your native language."

"Oh, Jupiter," Legolas smiled warmly, cupping his cheek, "You do not have to."

"Well, I want to. Since I've met you, I've wanted to, but I never got around to it until now."

"Then if you are going to learn, at least learn from an actual elf and not a machine that answers questions when asked."

"You... You actually want to teach me?"

"It is the least that I can do. I am getting quite tired of being the student, no matter how nice it is to learn. I think it is my turn to be the teacher this time."

Jupiter stole another kiss, "Thanks, doll. When can we start?"

"When I am finished bathing we can start if you like."

"Then you might as well use my bathroom. I'll go grab some of your clothes 'n food for us while you're in there."

Legolas barely had any say to anything before a kiss was pressed to his forehead and the man was out of the bedroom. With a shake of his head, he went to the bathroom with a small smile.

Despite the horrors of last night, Legolas was ecstatic to see how much brighter Jupiter appeared to be this morning.

* * *

After Jupiter managed to sneak into Legolas and Gimli's room to retrieve his immortal boyfriend's clothes - he may or may not have jokingly asked Legolas if he can join him which only lead to him being demanded to leave. The real challenge, however, was going downstairs to retrieve some food.

His tiptoeing down the stairs and into the kitchen was a success, his bare feet helped with his footsteps from gaining the attention of the occupants in the living room who were watching a movie. Jupiter had to make the quietest meal he has ever made in his life. After the tedious process of not making too much noise, he left with the plate with two sandwiches - one for him and one for Legolas - and two apples.

Of course, Manny had to turn her head just as he was going to go back upstairs, "Jupiter! You're finally awake!"

Cursing under his breath, he turned back around to scowl at everyone who was now looking at him with varying looks on their faces. Mostly worried. Fuck's sake, what did Manny tell them? "Yep." He replied shortly.

"How are you feeling?" Boromir asked, "Manny told us that you weren't feeling too well last night. She had to go sleep in Frodo and Sam's bedroom so she would not catch anything as well."

Sam nods, "We all had been worried when she told us."

"I'm be-" He cleared his throat, internally groaning at the fact that he now has to force himself to get used to speaking 'normally' again, "I'm better, so don't worry too much." He held down a wince as he shifted onto his other foot, pain shooting through them and into his calves.

"Have you seen Legolas, by any chance?" Aragorn asked suddenly, "We haven't seen him all morning."

Jupiter was a bit relieved that Manny didn't tell them that she brought him to their room, resulting in her to taking refuge in the hobbits' room. "He... is in my room. Nursed me back to health. We're hanging out, so don't expect to see us for a while." And with that, he went back upstairs.

With a sigh of pure relief, he lightly kicked his door open and stepped inside in order to kick it close. Looking up, he paused upon seeing Legolas. The elf, his magnificent companion, had fixed the bed and was sitting on top of it with one of Jupiter's empty notebooks on his lap along with a pencil in his hand. What really caught his attention was his old black band t-shirt and black sweatpants on him.

He didn't really think much of it when he pulled them out of the closet (hehe), but now that he's seeing them on Legolas, he can't stop thinking how good he looks in Jupiter's clothes.

Legolas looked up from writing in the notebook and a smile lit up his face, "Welcome back."

"Hey to you too." Jupiter was barely able to withhold the breath of relief upon sitting down next to him, setting down the plate of sandwiches and handing him one of the apples. "Dig in, I know ya didn't eat last night."

"I should be telling you that, my rose." Legolas said, thanking him as he received it and took a small bite from the fruit. "Elves do not need as much sustenance as Men."

"Hush your mouth, you've done enough stressin' because of me."

"Just come here so we can begin."

"Yessir."

That's when they began the most frustrating lesson Jupiter has ever been through in his life.

The only thing at school that he ever struggled with was required extracurricular activities and language classes, so you can imagine how hard it was to learn fucking  _Sindarin_.

Even though he struggled quite a bit at first, Legolas remained patient and guided him through everything, using what he had written on the notebook while Jupiter had been downstairs as help. The redhead found himself relaxing and having... fun. He wasn't sure if it was because of the way he's teaching or because it's Legolas who was teaching him that made it fun.

He surprised himself when he managed to hold a short, simple conversation with him in Sindarin after an hour using the words and phrases that had been taught to him. He was suddenly extremely grateful for his memorizing abilities.

Legolas looked very proud of him when they finished the twenty-second chat, " _Lle ume quel_!" Cupping his cheeks, he pressed a kiss to his lips, "You are doing much better than I thought you would. You do still have to work on pronouncing the words, though."

"Only 'cause you're great at teachin', sug'." He kissed him back, "How hard was it for you to learn English? Or, well, Westron?"

"It wasn't difficult for me. I started to learn when I was only a little elfling."

Jupiter looked thoughtful for a moment before narrowing his eyes at him, "How old are you?"

"How old are  _you_?"

"Seventeen, nearly eighteen. Now spill the beans."

"Fine, if you must know..." Legolas relented, sighing, "In sixty-nine years I will be three thousand years old."

Jupiter's eyes flew wide and he gaped at him, shocked. "Holy... Holy  _fuck_."

His reaction didn't sit well with the elf. Legolas winced as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, "I knew it would bother you."

"Wha- You- No! Jesus Christ- Legolas, it doesn't fuckin' bother me, I'm just surprised. I knew you were at least well over a thousand years old. Three thousand kinda caught me off guard."

The tension in his shoulders relaxed slightly, "You... You are okay with it? But you are so  _young_ , Jupiter. You are still willing to court me after telling you this?"

"Legolas, doll...  _Shit_." Jupiter took a hold of his pale hands and interlocked their fingers tightly, "I could give less of a shit about how old you are. I don't care about your age, your shitty royalty status, or any of those lil' details, you're still Legolas to me 'n that's all that matters to me."

"Truly?..."

Jupiter nods firmly, giving his hands a squeeze, "Truly. Don't ever doubt that."

Legolas nodded, breathing shakily, "Jupiter... I want to- I..." He took a deep breath, "I want to touch you. I don't know how to explain it, but I want to do it so desperately that I don't know what to do with myself." He licked his lips as he untangled their fingers from one of their hands, feathering the tips of them over his forearm and all the way up to his bicep, "I want to do more than just kiss you, yet I know that I cannot give in to these desires."

Jupiter found himself leaning closer, heat flowing through him as he asked gruffly, "Touch me in what way?"

"In a way that one would to their husband."

_Holy. Shit._

"Fuck, Legolas, you can't just...  _Say_  that out of nowhere." He boldly guided the hand that he was still holding down to his crotch and pressed it against there. Legolas's breath hitch upon feeling the bulge beneath his shorts, his breathing quickening when the man leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Can you see what you're doin' to me? I've always wanted to touch you... I've always wondered how you would look and sound if I did. I just want to fuckin'  _wreck_  you completely, but I know I can't. Not yet."

The fiery heat that had been building up in his stomach all shot down to his groin, "Jupiter... I don't know if we... If we should continue this..."

"We don't have to if ya don't want to, Legolas. I'm not forcin' you, I'll  _never_  force you. If ya want to stop, we can stop, whatever you are comfortable with."

"That is the problem, Jupiter." The elf gripped his arm, " _I don't want to stop_."

Jupiter kept their gazes locked together and he repeatedly cursed in his head at the sight of his eyes darkening to the deepest blue he has ever seen. Taking back his hands, he pushed the notebook that was in Legolas's lap away before pushing the elf onto the bed. The man climbed on top of him, dragging his predatory gaze over his red face, "I suppose just my hands will have to do. Technically, it won't break any rules." He smirks, "I'll save my mouth for another day."

Legolas stared up with wide eyes filled with just as much lust as the other. There will be  _more_  of this? Valar, save him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amin n'rangwa edanea.: I don't understand these humans.  
> Cormamin lindua ele lle.: My heart sings to see thee.  
> Lle ume quel!: You did well.
> 
> And the surprise is revealed! The very first smutty scene! :D I wasn't going to do this until a little later in the chappies, but I kept writing and I realized that the convo was getting into dangerous territory, so I said fuck it, let's do it. Which is why I needed an extra day in order to be able to write both this one and the scene.
> 
> I really recommend reading the smutty scenes since Jupiter and Legolas's relationship also develops in there, although I might repeat the same development in them on here.
> 
> It should be posted at the same time as this one and should be the second part of the series, Jupiter's Doll & Legolas's Rose, that's specifically for Jupiter/Legolas smut! ;)


	28. XXVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Th-That was..."

"Uh-huh."

"I-Is it... Is it always like that?"

"The only reference I have is from jerkin' off, but if ya still want an answer, fuck no. This was a million times better, seriously, I think I'm fuckin' shakin' again." He raised his clean hand, which was indeed trembling slightly, "Like, look at this shit!"

Legolas couldn't help but laugh breathlessly, feeling proud that he was the one that caused this reaction, although if the trembling goes on for any longer he's going to worry. "I think I am as well." He looked down at himself and huffed, dropping his head back on the bed, "I need a new tunic. Perhaps we should clean ourselves... Especially you."

Jupiter followed his gaze to his hand covered in... their essence. A wicked thought crossed his mind and a mischievous smirk rose up to his face. He kept eye contact with Legolas as he gave a testing lick to his hand. The elf blanched at him, "Jupiter!" He cried out incredulously.

"Mm, you taste good, sug'." He gave him a wink before sitting up and getting off the bed, disappearing into the bathroom.

Legolas groaned and covered his eyes with his forearm, making the man laugh in the bathroom as the water ran in the sink. It didn't take long for Jupiter to return with a damp washcloth, helping the blonde clean up before telling him to take his shirt off. As soon as it was taken off, a new band t-shirt was tossed to him and he slid it on as Jupiter put away the dirtied shirt.

The scientist sat back down beside him and gave the other a small smile when he received a short kiss, "Did you like it?"

"Did I like it?" The elf repeated the question as if it was the dumbest thing he has heard from Jupiter's mouth, "Of course, I did! I never thought it would be like that. It was amazing and I will admit, I'm more than willing to do it again with you right this second."

"Oh." Jupiter's eyebrows shot up, " _Oh_. Well then, why the hell didn't you stop me from cleanin' you up?"

" _Because_ , my rose, I was afraid that it would end up going too far if we continued. Not to mention that I still have some concerns about what we just did."

"Concerns?... Do you regret it?"

"You are asking the most idiotic questions today, Jupiter. No, I do not regret it." Legolas sighed, "I just do not know how two males bond, it is unheard of and it was never explained to me, so I am just worried if what we did..." He trailed off.

"Oh," The redhead relaxed tremendously. "I mean, all we did was just rub our dicks together-"

" _Jupiter_!"

"-So if you're talkin' about sexual intercourse, then what we did doesn't count as bondin'." He paused, "Woah, did we just find a loophole to the whole bonding thing?"

"I suppose." Legolas shrugged, relieved, although a bit embarrassed by how bluntly he was speaking of their previous... activities. Then he too paused, "Wait, Jupiter, you know how two males bond?"

"Of course I do."

The elf nearly rolled his eyes at his almost offended tone, "Do not leave me in the dark, tell me how it is done."

"Someone sounds eager- Ow! Fine, I'll stop teasin' you, jeez." Jupiter rubbed his arm where he had been punched rather hard. He loves the fact that Legolas doesn't hold back on him, "Two guys having sex is no different from how a male and female do it. Only... With more steps and a  _different_  place."

Legolas furrowed his brows in puzzlement at his explanation, wondering what he could possibly mean by a different place. How can it be just like with a male and female? Not unless-... "No." It can't be. "You are not saying that it goes... You are jesting."

Jupiter shook his head at his accusation, "Dead serious." There was absolutely no lie written on his face.

"So then it would go in..."

"Yep."

"But that... Is it really?..."

"Yes, Legolas, it goes in the ass." The scientist told him straightforwardly, which was probably a bad idea since Legolas looked a little scared, "You look terrified."

"How can you be so calm?! I would have never thought that would cross anybody's mind to put it there. How can that be  _pleasurable_  on the receiving end?" Legolas snapped incredulously, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Jupiter was indeed telling the truth.

"Very, actually." Jupiter's eyes lit up and he leaned in close, "Wanna practice? Give you a lil' taste of what it's like?"

"Who says that  _I'll_  be the one to be taken?" Legolas glared playfully, "For all we know, it may as well be you that will be taken when we bond."

The redhead momentarily froze. A pink hue gathered around his nose and cheeks as he lightly ruffled the hair at the back of his head. He had been joking with his offer, and he knew that Legolas knew it, but he wasn't exactly expecting him to say that last part. "So you... Really do plan to bond with me?"

Legolas, too, realized what he had just said. They may be courting, but they have never really talked about it, the both of them bonding in the future. If he were speaking the truth to himself, he had never expected himself ever bonding with another, let alone consider it. For much too long he has reflected over the thought of bonding with Jupiter and the thought made his heart jump, warmth overwhelming him along with an underlying sadness.

It has come to the point that his contemplation made an abrupt turn from being a lovely thought to a strong desire. To be bonded with Jupiter... His heart, his soul, his body yearned for that connection. He can feel his soul constantly reaching out towards Jupiter, merely brushing over him as it continued its futile, everlasting stretch in hopes of intertwining with the other's soul, tangling into a tight bond, whether Legolas liked it or not.

"One day I wish to." The blonde said carefully, "I want to."

Jupiter took a deep breath once he heard the words come out of his mouth. He nods his head and doesn't say anything until he looks at him again, placing his hand on his knee, "I want to, too, but I think we both know it's a bit too soon. No matter how much we want to bond with each other."

"Yes, it is for the best." Legolas nods in agreement. Usually, it takes years for Elves to seal the deal and for the both of them to agree upon marriage. He has even seen it take years for partners to  _kiss_. Compared to that, he and Jupiter are moving at such a pace that it would be downright scandalous. But he would be lying if he said he regretted it and didn't enjoy the fact that he was stomping on a few customs of his realm. "...But I believe that we should continue with this - what was the word you used? -  _loophole_  that you have discovered. You had said something about practicing?"

"Everyday I taint you little by little, don't I?" Jupiter grinned wickedly, giving him a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth, "Before we do any 'practicing', I think we should go on at least one date. I mean, I just jerked you off 'n we haven't gone on a da- Holy shit, I haven't asked you out on a date yet."

Legolas was rather puzzled by his shock, "What is a date?"

"It's basically just somethin' a couple does to hang out. Like a romantic engagement. I mean, people usually go on them when one of them wants to pursue the other, but people in a relationship do it too for fun." He explained, "So... Will you go out with me?"

"Hm... I don't know."

Jupiter groaned and dropped his head into his hand the second he heard his teasing tone, a smile unwillingly tugging on his lips as he huffed out, "You fuckin' suck."

"Oh, fine. I suppose I will go out with you on this date. What shall we do on it?"

"That's for me to know 'n for you to find out, doll." The scientist chuckled at the look on his face, "It's raining all weekend so at six after school on Monday we will go on that date."

* * *

"Do not think I have not noticed, Legolas."

The elf crossed his arms as he leaned back against the opposite wall that his close friend was leaning on. He was careful not to let out any emotions that will give away his steadily rising anxiousness but was also careful not to completely cut off all of them. The man in front of him was much too observant for his own good and not to mention that he has known him for quite a few years. "What are you implying, Estel?" He asked innocently.

Aragorn sighed quietly as he shook his head in exasperation, causing Legolas to wince. He saw right through him... As per usual. It had not been long after he decided to leave Jupiter's room in order to let everyone know that he was in fact still alive. Then, out of nowhere, Aragorn had casually asked if they could speak with him alone. Legolas had then led him far down through the hallway leading to the lab until they were out of earshot of the others.

"I am sure you know exactly what I am implying." The ranger said matter-of-factly, "That day when I found you in front of the mirror in the bathroom, you looked so heartbroken. I was frightened by how lifeless you appeared at that very moment as if the will you had dwindled down from a raging fire into a measly spark. The very next day, you are the complete opposite. You were the happiest that I have ever seen you and I had wondered what caused this sudden change, but then I remembered what you had told me, how you understand Arwen's suffering." He paused, "I also do not believe that the bruise on your neck is from sparring."

Legolas's shoulders sagged. It was no use trying to hide it, Aragorn knows. He... should have expected this. At least one member of the Fellowship would have found out before the two of them wanted to, but he was hoping that no one would discover their relationship until they had no choice but to reveal it. He smiles humorlessly, "I can never keep a secret from you. You are much too talented at figuring them out,  _mellon-nîn_."

"That is because you are never careful enough." The man said teasingly, causing Legolas to huff, "So you are courting now, correct? How have you been fairing?" He asks softly, no judgment whatsoever, only understanding. He himself is courting an elf as well, so he knows better than anyone else what it feels like to fall for a different race that gives so many risks.

The questions made the archer feel better. It gave him a sense of normalcy. He will later be given a talk about the consequences of this, especially with the whole different worlds issue, but he will try not to worry about it now. "I am fairing well... Very well, actually." He looked off to the side as his smile grew into something warm, "It had been difficult when dealing with our feelings, but we managed. He has been nothing but caring to me and he always manages to make me smile, even when he does not mean to. Jupiter is everything to me and I do not regret confessing my affections towards him. I'll never regret it."

"Wha-  _Jupiter_? Did you just say  _Jupiter_?"

His head snaps up at the incredulous question and looks at the shell-shocked ranger in confusion, "Yes?..." His brows furrowed, "Who did you think I was speaking of?"

"Manny, of course!" Aragorn bursts, "All this time it wasn't her? I was so sure it was, but I suppose it makes sense that it is Jupiter. You spend so much time with him, and the both of you have been inseparable." He leans back heavily on the wall with a hand on his forehead, "Forgive me, I wasn't expecting..."

Legolas shrugged at his trailed off apology, "It's alright, I understand. I was surprised myself that you were so calm about the relationship considering that we are both males. All along you had thought it was Lady Manny, it makes much more sense now."

"Indeed." The ranger took a breath, "As long as you are happy, my friend. If you and Jupiter care for each other as much as I think you do, then it would be impossible to break what you two have."

The elf felt warmth fill him hearing Aragorn's supporting tone. He now felt guilty for not telling him sooner, he should have trusted him more to not judge him or make him reconsider the courtship. Before he could even thank him, a voice cut through the brief silence between them.

"Legolas? Aragorn?" Both of their heads swivel to where the entrance of the hallway is and saw Jupiter approaching them, glasses now on his puzzled face, "What are you two doing down here?... Oh shit, am I interrupting a private conversation or something? I can leave."

Instead of saying anything, they continued staring at him. Aragorn himself once again became amazed by the fact that someone like Jupiter is courting Legolas - no offense, of course. Jupiter looked between the two of them, at a loss of why they were staring at him like that. Especially the ranger, he was looking at him pretty weird- Wait. He looks over at his significant other and deadpans, "He knows, doesn't he?"

"Indeed he does. Although, he had thought you were Manny at first."

Jupiter snorted as he came closer, standing next to the elf, "Can't blame you, Aragorn. I would think the same thing if I thought Legolas was straight, or well... completely straight?" He looks over at him, "Are you gay?"

Legolas elbowed him in the side, "What have I told you about asking stupid questions? Besides, it does not matter to me what gender you are. You would still be Jupiter either way, no?"

The elf grinned as he gently pushed Jupiter's face away upon seeing him leaning in to give him a kiss. The man made a frustrated noise from the rejection as Legolas returned his gaze back to an amused Aragorn, "You Men are insufferable."

"Please, I have heard enough of that from Arwen." Aragorn groaned, rolling his eyes even though he was still smiling, "We will continue discussing this later. The others might be wondering where we are."

* * *

"Manny, I'm panicking."

"I can see that."

"Manny, I'm losing my shit."

"I can also see that."

Jupiter grabbed the brunette by her shoulders, and shook her roughly back and forth, "Can't you see I'm having a fucking mid-life crisis, woman?!  _Help me_!"

Manny squealed as she was shaken before she found the right moment where she could slap him across the face once he was finished with his demand. This time, she was the one to grab his shoulders, "Get a hold of yourself! Why the fudge are you freaking out?! You've gone on a million dates before!"

"This is different, 'Manda." He said with a pale face, appearing unaffected by the slap even though his cheek was turning an alarming red, "I'm going on a date with Legolas  _fucking_  Greenleaf. My  _motherfucking_  One. You don't understand, Manny, I can't fuck this date up. It has to be perfect and I have no idea where to take him and what to wear, and I had an entire weekend to think about it! Manny, I'm beggin' you, you gotta help me."

The woman stared at him with eyes as wide as dinner plates, snatching her hands away as if he had burned her and took a large step back, "Who are you and what have you done with my crappy jerk of a bestie?"

"Manny, I'm being serious. Legolas is everything to me and I want our first date to be amazing. I don't want to disappoint him and fuck it all up."

"Holy balls of steel, what has he  _done_  to you?" Manny whispered in horror. She knew that Legolas would be a positive influence for Jupiter, even before she knew about how they felt about each other, but this was something that she wasn't really expecting. She can see in the redhead's eyes that he would literally do anything to make this date perfect and it's just a  _date_. "You're friggin' head over heels, dude. I've never seen you like this before, it's actually scaring me a little."

"Yeah, so what?" Jupiter scowled, crossing his arms impatiently, "Will you help me or not, bitch?"

The artist sighed deeply, mostly in relief from hearing the nickname come at of his mouth. Her Jupiter was still there with his jerknessand all. "Fine. Sit there and tell me what ideas you had for the date while I look through your clothes."

His shoulders sagged as he gave a breath of relief and plopped down on the edge of his bed, watching as she tossed her hair up into a messy bun and swung his closet doors open. "Actually, I have no ideas. I mean, I do, but they're just too normal. Movies are too loud for him and we don't get to talk as much. Picnics are too fucking boring. I've thought about the zoo, but I don't think he would be happy about that..."

She winced and nods in agreement as she pulled out shirts and pants for him to try on, "So everything you think of is pretty much useless. Not surprised-"

"Fuck you."

"-So think outside the box. Think of some things he likes, maybe throw some new things he can experience into the mix." Manny paused from her search and furrowed her brows, facing him again, "Hey, do you still stay in contact with your grandma?"

"Considering the fact that her bipolar ass calls me every week to cuss me out and ask about my week, then yes. Why? What does she have to do with-" He stopped, narrowing his eyes, "Hell no."

"Heck yes."

"Nope. No way in hell. She's going to fucking crucify me for deciding to visit her now of all times. I haven't even told her about Isabelle or Legolas!"

"It's either that or you end up in an eternal loop of thinking up a date idea and tossing it into the trash."

Jupiter growled in frustration. She was right. Plus this would make Legolas really happy... "Fine. I told her the same England and Arizona story anyway. She would want to meet the others too at some point so might as well tell her about Legolas and bring everyone else there at some point in the future so they can have their fun too," He pulls out his phone and quickly dialed a number, preparing himself for the shouts that will definitely make him temporarily deaf in one ear, "But those details aren't important right now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mellon-nin: my friend
> 
> It took me a while to think up of a date idea (you'll find out in the next chapter what it is) and I had even thought of taking them to Disney or Universal, but then I realized how boring that would be. I mean, it wouldn't be boring per se, but I think I wouldn't have been able to write it without getting bored. lol
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	29. XXIX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jupiter and Legolas have their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that it took me so long to post this. My wifi wasn't working yesterday, I woke up late today, and I had to heavily edit this chapter. Good news is that this chapter is a bit longer than usual! :D
> 
> WARNING: This chapter is literally just pure fluff.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter used his phone as a mirror in order to watch his own hair being shifted due to his fingers running through it. He huffed as he tousled his hair from side to side, even trying to give it a messy slicked back look. Ever since the Fellowship arrived, his hair has begun to grow out slightly. He had discovered this when he came out of the shower Manny demanded he take - which he was planning to do anyway - and as soon as he removed the small towel from his head, his hair flopped straight into his eyes painfully.

The second Manny saw him come out of the bathroom with a towel draped over his shoulder and only wearing boxers, she snorted at the sight of his hair. To speed up the drying, she blow-dried it, revealing that his hair was slightly wavy now that it wasn't as short. She told him it was a nice touch and reminded her of the time when they were kids where he tried to grow his hair out to look like- Yeah, it's pretty obvious who he was trying to look like.

He asked for her to cut it - he no longer trusted himself with cutting his own hair - but she only cut it enough so that it was no longer poking his eyes. When he asked why she didn't cut it back to its original length, but she only said that she didn't want to get rid of the waviness.

Giving up, he furiously ruffled his hair. Fuck it. It's going to get messy anyway, he'll just have to deal with a rat's nest on his head.

Jupiter pocketed his phone and fiddled with his clothing, absentmindedly blowing a bubble from the mint gum he was chewing. He had visited the doctor after his little breakdown and he told him the only thing that mattered, he was quitting drinking and smoking and was going through withdrawal symptoms. After shutting down the suggestion of antidepressants - Never.  _Fucking_. Again. - and rehab, his doctor prescribed him clonidine in small doses for not too long to reduce his aching and tremors, and it might even reduce his chances of getting a panic attack if the withdrawals ever get especially bad.

So far, they've worked, although he still gets sick after nightmares and gets the usual urges. Legolas was always there for him whenever it happened.

His doctor had also suggested a couple of things that can help with quitting smoking, such as chewing gum or using a flavored toothpick to keep both his mouth and hands busy. A psychological thing that he knows he will end up explaining to Legolas at some point. The scientist can nearly not believe that Legolas can soak all of this new knowledge he's learning like a fucking ShamWow towel.

Jupiter lifted his head upon hearing the front door close and footsteps coming towards him. His nerves from earlier returned full force once he saw the elf. Now he was extra self-conscious about how he looked, Legolas was just so...  _Damn_.

"H-Hey..." The redhead stuttered out pathetically once he stopped in front of him.

"Hello, Jupiter." Legolas greeted amusedly, his smile growing wider along with the pink tint in his cheeks as he watched golden eyes scan him up and down shamelessly.

It was for good reason too. How can he  _not_  look and admire at how amazing he is in modern clothing? Jupiter only wore a black leather jacket under a grey t-shirt with a random ass quote on it, the usual jeans, and sneakers. Casual like he asked. Legolas was wearing an old button-up dress shirt, colored a deep blue, with the long sleeves rolled up to just where his forearm starts like Jupiter usually does himself. The shirt was tucked into a pair of black jeans, a brown belt looped through the holes, and...

"Are those my boots?"

The ellon gave a small shrug, "Manny insisted that I wear them."

"Damn straight she did, she's a goddamn genius." Jupiter said, dragging his eyes back up to reconnect their gazes and stepped closer in order to press a long kiss against his lips. Legolas held onto him and leaned into the kiss until it was broken. He gave him another once-over, "I can tell she was kinda goin' for a rustic outfit. I'm not sure if I should be weirded out or glad that she knows I got a thing for stuff like that."

"A thing, hm?" Legolas quirked a brow in interest, wrapping his arms around his neck, "Then I will try my best to wear something like this on special occasions such as this one." Then he proceeded to lightly tug a lock of his short hair in a scolding manner, "And I know exactly what you are thinking. You look ravishing as always, never think otherwise."

The scientist ducked his head in an uncharacteristically shy manner after receiving a light kiss on his cheek, "Thanks." He muttered and cleared his throat, forcing himself to look at his suitor properly, "You ready to go?"

"Yes, will you tell me where we are going now?"

Jupiter grinned hearing the hint of excitement and anticipation in his voice, "No way. But I can tell you that you'll be meeting someone first." He walked over to his motorcycle, picking up both his own helmet and his spare, offering his spare to the elf, "Put this on."

Legolas looked at it warily, making no move to take it, "What is it?"

"A helmet. It's kind of the law to wear one when going on a motorcycle, and I don't think we need to be pulled over by the cops on our first date." He gestured over to his motorcycle, "Keeps us safe in case anything serious happens which isn't very likely to happen."

The motorcycle itself didn't look safe. At all. Legolas has seen Jupiter leave and arrive at the house with the motorcycle whenever he was going somewhere alone. Every single time he rode on it, he always became worried, but he didn't say anything considering that Manny was never troubled by the fact that he rode a motorcycle and that Jupiter never had any trouble on the road on it... yet.

Jupiter recognized the apprehension on his face and a fond smirk worked its way up as he placed his own helmet down in order to carefully put the spare on Legolas before flicking the visor up to peck the tip of his nose, "You'll be fine as long as you hold onto me. If you really don't want to go on my bike, then we can always use the car."

"No, it's alright." Legolas said quickly, "I trust you. Besides, I'm sure I have been through more dangerous situations than this."

The redhead snorted and flicked the other's visor back down, "Exactly. I'm also not incompetent on the road, unlike everyone else, so that's a plus." He got on his motorcycle and pulled his helmet on, "Hop on."

Jupiter felt the elf sit down right behind him as he started up the motorcycle and for one horrifying moment, he realized how close Legolas was even without holding onto him, "Wrap your arms around me!" He raised his voice a little over the purring engine. His fears were confirmed when firm arms snaked around his waist and a warm body pressed against his back. He probably didn't think this through long enough. He seriously might not be able to concentrate with the archer holding onto him like this.

Taking a calming breath, he focused on his goal - or at least tried to - and used his foot to push up the kickstand. He began moving out of the driveway, briefly letting go of one handle to give one of the tightening arms around him a small squeeze. It was understandable that Legolas was a little nervous on the motorcycle even though he has been in much worse situations where he should have been scared, but never appeared to be. It was just like the car, it was foreign, unknown, and  _strange_.

The engine's purr turned into a growl as he turned onto the road, joining other cars on the road after a minute or so. Legolas noticed that Jupiter was going faster than most of the other vehicles, clearly taking advantage of the motorcycle's size and maneuverability. After ten minutes, Legolas began to realize that it wasn't as bad as he anticipated. It was rather thrilling, although the turns made his stomach twist uncomfortably and also when they went on the highway - that's what it was called, right? - he went even  _faster_.

Soon enough, Legolas began to notice the scenery changing after they left the highway. Unlike before where there were many people, cars, and buildings, it turned into an open road with nearly no one in sight and open fields on either side of them. It was a rural area that pleased him, hitting the ellon with a strong wave of homesickness upon seeing the nature surrounding them along with the grazing animals.

Jupiter slows down and turns into a dirt pathway leading to a farm with various animals fenced at the front on an extremely large plain of grass. They didn't seem all too startled by the motorcycle's noise, but they all lifted their heads to stare for a moment before going back to their meals. Why in the world were they here?

He continued down the dirt road until a small house and a large barn right next to it came into view, a tractor and an old car parked next to the home. Jupiter parked his bike next to the car, turning the engine off. The both of them immediately took the helmets off and Legolas looked around him, breathing in the fresh air deeply, "Not that I am complaining, but where are we?"

"At a farm." He answered as they got off, "Nice, ain't it? A shit ton of animals too, even a few barn cats here and there to get rid of rodents that try eating the crops. This is... where I lived when I was just a little kid."

Legolas perked up at hearing something new about his significant other, "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, we use to live out of state on the countryside like here, but the state we lived in wouldn't allow my parents to adopt me because of how young they were, so they sold off the farm we lived in, smuggled me into California where my grandma lives, and officially adopted me. We stayed here for a long while with her and she helped us out."

The elf's hand was taken into his, "And this is the person I am going to meet. A little warning about this could have been nice."

"I did warn you." Jupiter smirked as he guided him to the porch of the house, climbing up the steps.

He rolled his eyes, exasperated, "Yes, you warned me that I was going to meet someone, not someone that is a part of your family!"

"There's nothing to worry about, I'm the one who should be more nervous."

"You? You have known her for nearly your entire life as far as I know, I should be the worried one. What if she does not like me or is against our courtship? Not only that, I'm not even properly dressed to meet her!"

"Legolas, seriously, you'll be  _fine_. You're freaking out over nothing and you look beautiful. She doesn't care if you're not decked out in straight-up formal clothes."

"...I am not freaking out."

"Uh-huh."

The elf glared at him half-heartedly the moment he saw his smirk appear again, "Imagine if  _you_  had to meet my father unexpectedly."

"...Okay, I see your point now."

"Exactly."

The both of them swivel their heads towards the door they were standing in front of when they heard the doorknob rattling as it was unlocked before it was swung open. Legolas blinked owlishly down at the woman in front of him. Even though there were signs of age such as grey streaks through straight black hair thrown up into a neat bun and crinkles at the corners of her eyes, he still saw much youth in her dark brown eyes, and her brown-colored skin was still smooth and fair.

She wore a short-sleeved floral dress that reached above her knees, along with flats, and an apron tied around her, a pleasant smell wafting from inside the house. The second the woman's wise eyes landed on Jupiter, she pulled out a wooden spoon from seemingly out of nowhere and whacked the scientist in the arm without holding back.

Jupiter flinched horribly, letting go of his hand in order to press his own against the inflicted area with a hiss, "What the hell, hag?!" He shouted furiously at her as Legolas stayed frozen from where he stood, his wide-eyed gaze switching between the two of them.

" _Hag_?" The woman repeated incredulously, a hand on her hip and she raised her spoon threateningly, "Boy, don't make me whoop your ass, 'cause you know I'll do it, ya hear me? Watch yer mouth!"

She then switched her gaze over to the blonde and he involuntarily winced even though he was more angry at the fact that she hurt Jupiter... although he did deserve it. Placing her wooden spoon in her apron pocket, she smiled warmly at him, "Well I'll be damned, you must be the famous Lance that the lil' rude boy neva told me about. Such a handsome boy you are, how in the world did he end up snatchin' you up? The punk never gets this lucky."

It took him a moment to register what she said, "I'm the one who has gotten lucky. Jupiter can be... a bit much, but that's one of the many things I like about him." Legolas stated calmly, relaxing. Even though she had just threatened Jupiter after hitting him with a spoon, she gave off a calming aura.

She looked stunned for a brief moment by his firm statement, before she grinned, "That's somethin' I neva thought would come out of someone's mouth. Oh! How rude of me, come on in, sweetie. Make yourself at home."

"Wow, I feel so loved. It's so nice seeing you too, grandma. I really missed your spoon and the really tight hugs around my neck that literally take my breath away." Jupiter said, deadpan, as he followed after the woman guiding his partner into the house, completely ignoring her own grandson's existence.

She glared at him from over her shoulder, "If Lance wasn't here with you, boy, I would be kickin' your fuckin' ass right now. 'N quit with that city accent! It ain't healthy to force it, how many times do I hav'ta tell ya?"

"So you are the one he gets his dialect from?" Legolas inquired curiously as he was seated on the couch with Jupiter sitting right next to him afterward.

She nods as she sat on the rocking chair that she quickly moved over across from them at the other side of the coffee table. "You got that right. When he 'n his parents moved here wit' me, he followed me like an annoyin' chick all around the damn farm. He picked it up from spendin' so much time around me, not to mention the foul language. Lil' troublemaker from the beginnin' I tell ya."

" _Anyway_ ," Jupiter rolled his eyes, having already heard enough of the blatant insults that he was all too use to from her, "Le- Lance, let me properly introduce ya to my grandma, Esther. She's my ma's mother. Hag, this is my boyfriend, Lance."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Esther." Legolas said kindly, elbowing Jupiter in the side in a scolding manner for being rude to his  _grandmother_.

"Aw, the pleasure is all mine, sweet pea." She then rose an eyebrow at her grandson, "So, on the phone, ya said he's a keeper?"

An unwanted blush rose up to his cheeks as he felt the elf's gaze switch onto him now. He cleared his throat as he tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible, wrapping an arm around Legolas's waist to pull him close to his side for comfort, "Yeah, he is. Got a problem with that?"

"Nope. I can care less who ya datin', but those girls you was with were all hussies. 'Bout damn near pulled my hair out until ya finally called me 'n told me you were gay. Ya see, how is it that it took ya all this time to figure it out while I've known since your ass was five?"

"Fuck off, granny."

"Watch it." She hissed, pointing a finger at him before looking back over to Legolas, her expression relaxing, "You sure are different, Lance. No matter how much he refuses to admit it, Jupiter is happier. That never happened with the hussies. Never even touched them unless they wanted him to." She smiled, her eyes flickering down to the hand that was rubbing Legolas's side.

Legolas chuckled lightly, "Yes, I had witnessed that as well, unfortunately. I'm just glad that I'm able to make him so happy, he has done so much for me that sometimes I feel as if it's not always enough."

"You bein' with me is more than enough, doll." Jupiter cuts in gently, appearing to forget about the woman in front of them listening and watching, "You're more than I can ever ask for. Sometimes  _I_  feel like I don't do enough."

The elf couldn't help but cup his cheek and give him a short kiss, pulling away when the other pressed into it for more and reminding Legolas that Jupiter's  _grandmother_  was still there. When they both turned back to her - it took a moment for Jupiter to do so considering he was still looking at Legolas openly with affectionate gold eyes - and they were surprised by how she had a hand covering her mouth and-

"...Are your eyes waterin'?"

"Shut it, shithead, they ain't waterin'." Despite what she said, she pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed it right beneath her eyes, "I'm your grandma, dammit, been takin' care of ya with your parents no matter how much of a fuckin' pain in the ass you are. This the first time I've seen ya this sunny in a long while. Not since... Not since ya parents passed."

"Jesus- Don't get sappy now, hag." Jupiter sounded annoyed, but his voice was soft, "Lance is the only one for me." He looks at the blonde, "I plan on marryin' him one day."

"Definitely." Legolas agreed, "Afterall, we  _are_  courting."

Esther smile widens at the statement and took a breath, "Well, I think it's time for the two of you to run along. The punk wanted to surprise ya with somethin' on the farm on your date, so get outta my house. Have fun."

Jupiter nodded and held Legolas's hand as they stood up. "It was lovely meeting you, Lady Esther." Mirkwood's prince said politely.

"Please, just Esther is fine. When the two of you finish, come back so I can say goodbye."

* * *

"So what do ya think about my grandma?"

"Well, she explains your foul language and your tendencies of being a troublemaker," Legolas said thoughtfully as they walked with their fingers laced together. "I also see why you should have been the worried one. She is rather unpredictable, but I like her. She reminds me of you, actually."

"Ugh, so Manny isn't the only one who thinks that?" He groaned mournfully, "I am nothin' like her. She's a crazy old lady who needs to be thrown into an asylum. When I visit her, one second she's hittin' me with her stupid spoon 'n then the next second she's askin' me how I've been 'n bringin' me coffee with shit tons of cream 'n sugar."

Legolas shook his head, "Goodness, Jupiter, you are exactly like that with Manny and I."

"Yeah? How?" There was a disbelieving tone in his voice.

"You get angry when Manny doesn't clean up after herself, yet right afterward you are cleaning it up for her without any other complaint and asking what she wanted for supper. There was also a time where I saw you punch your desk, clearly angry, but as soon as you saw me, you were speaking to me and kissing me as if you had not just tried to murder your desk."

"...That doesn't mean anything."

"Keep telling yourself that, my rose."

Jupiter rolled his eyes and sped up a bit, tugging on his hand, "C'mon, we're almost there. It's behind the big ass barn."

They rounded the corner of the barn, revealing the large, tall wooden fenced area with three horses. It stopped Legolas in his tracks and he looked between Jupiter and the horses, "Is this..."

"The surprise? Yep. C'mon, they're gonna love you. Olive can be a bitch though. He only likes the hag." He guided him over to the gate and unlocked it, going inside the area.

The redhead took a deep breath and placed his fingers in his mouth before blowing out a sharp whistle. Two of the horses perked up from where they were lazily chewing on the grass before trotting over to them, while the third took its time walking over. Jupiter grinned as the first one who arrived pressed its nose against his hand, it's coat and hair being brown, "This is Peach. I've known her since she was a foal, she's a rescue." He then pets the other horse, who had a white coat and silver hair. "This one is Clementine. I actually picked her out when I was a kid since she... reminded me of you."

The last one that arrived didn't bother to come close to him. It ignored their existence entirely and went back to eating the grass, it's coat and hair black, "And that's Olive. He might bite if ya touch him."

"They're all so beautiful." Legolas said, awed by the creatures before him and reached out to Clementine, who nuzzled against his hand almost immediately. Peach also joined her and behind them, Olive watched, seeming to want to join in on greeting their interesting visitor. "It feels like forever since I have seen a horse, it's so nice to be around them again."

The blonde turned to Jupiter and gave him an unexpected deep kiss, briefly breaking it in order to say, "Thank you. I was definitely not expecting this."

"Want to go for a ride then? We got plenty of land to travel on."

Legolas nodded eagerly, elation rolling off of him in waves at the suggestion and Jupiter barked out a laugh, "I'll go grab the saddles. I'll give the four of you some alone time."

* * *

Clementine took a liking to Legolas right away, which gave him the easy decision to ride her. Jupiter took Peach since Olive was definitely not in the mood for a run with anyone that day. The both of them didn't go out into the open fields yet since Legolas wanted to see the rest of the farm and was curious as to how Esther was able to manage all of it.

As they went down the path of the growing crops that were being prepared for spring, he explained that workers that Esther hired dealt with the farming while Esther personally took care of all of the animals. There weren't a huge variety of animals, only cattle, chickens, horses, sheep, goats, and barn cats. She refuses to slaughter any animals on her farm, so she's one of the main sources of organic crops, dairy products, and eggs, and during the spring the sheep are sheared and most of the wool is sold off.

"They are all at peace," Legolas said suddenly as they watched two kids - baby goats - hop and play with each other as their mothers and fathers grazed, keeping a close eye on them. He caught sight of Jupiter's questioning gaze, "I can feel it. It is like how I can hear the whispers of trees, speaking over one another. I could never truly understand the words they speak, they are all mixed together so deciphering can be extremely difficult, but among those whispers, I can hear and feel what they are feeling. It is similar to animals, but I cannot understand their language."

"You can feel what they feel, huh?" Jupiter said quietly and scanned the herd in the large space before pointing over to a goat laying in the grass at the far right, watching the rest of its kind around him. "What does that one feel?"

The blonde glanced at him, worried that Jupiter didn't believe him and was humoring him, but he saw nothing but genuine curiosity. He followed the direction of where his finger was pointing at and a heavy weight immediately settled on his heart. His throat tightened up unwillingly and he was forced to look away for fear of experiencing more of this emotion to the point where his vision might blur, "...It has gone through dark times. It has seen things that no living thing should and those memories still haunt it to this day. Yet, even so, it is happy with its new life. At peace, like the others."

"His name is Hope." Jupiter explained quietly, "He's really old, one of the first goats that grandma ever bothered to give a name. She found him in a slaughterhouse that was bein' shutdown, layin' next to these... these two goat corpses. They were his family. A long ass physical exam showed that he had been abused since he was a kid. He's doing a lot better now, he has friends and helps take care of the kids."

"People underestimate other creatures so much. Every day I am reminded that many creatures are much stronger than we all think." Legolas smiled, "And you are a part of those numbers that people underestimate."

"Hey, now, don't leave yourself out of the mix." Jupiter guided Peach closer by the reigns in order for him to lean over and kiss his cheek, "Thanks, though. I needed that ego boost."

Legolas laughed, giving him a light shove that was immediately reciprocated. "Jupiter," His blue eyes were bright, "Would you care for a race?"

The redhead grinned and gripped his reigns, "Should that even be a question? Fuck yeah!"

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Jupiter lost the race. Peach was a little older while Clementine, on the other hand, was still quite young and bursting with energy. The race had lasted a few minutes and ended when they were deep in the field where there was nothing but more plains ahead of them, the sky, and the sun.

As they trotted in a peaceful silence, the scientist couldn't help, but stare at Legolas. How could he not? He looked exactly as he did during their time at the lake when he was chasing him and ended up falling onto each other. His expression was just so serene as if there were no more worries, as if there was nowhere else he would rather be.

It made his heart swell and he felt so content. If Jupiter hadn't been sure that Legolas was his One before, he definitely knows now. He can feel it. The constant reach and need within him was unbearable. He wanted Legolas constantly by his side, to protect him with every fiber of his being from anything and everything.

It was with a surge from within his chest and these thoughts that gave him a sudden revelation.

Almost immediately, he was seeing Legolas in a brand new light. A brighter light, if that was even possible. It made so much sense as to why he was so willing to do anything for Legolas and would do everything to keep him happy, why he was so comfortable around him, why he even  _allowed_  Legolas to be in the same room as him after his breakdown,  _why_  he was so dead set on quitting smoking and drinking for him.

_Why he was willing to_ die _for him without any hesitation_.

This revelation was terrifying. Possibly almost as scary as discovering that Legolas is his One. Even though it was terrifying, finding out what exactly he has been feeling for so long, it brought joy. He wanted to laugh, cry, and punch something all at the same time because he wasn't sure what to do with himself other than to smile probably the warmest smile he has ever made towards Legolas and bask in the euphoria consuming him.

"Legolas," Jupiter called out to him, and his mouth suddenly becomes dry when Legolas looks at him with a radiant smile. "I need to tell you something."

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, his smile faltering slightly.

"No, nothing's wrong." Jupiter quickly reassured him. "It's just that I..." He never realized that Legolas's eyes glowed in the sunlight, "I think I... I-"

Out of nowhere, a bird shoots past Peach's face, it's wing briefly smacking her nose and she immediately rears up with a loud, startled neigh. Jupiter cursed loudly as he tried to take a hold of the reigns again, but before he could, Peach shot off and he fell with a loud thump onto the grass.

Legolas called his name worriedly and as the redhead rolled onto his back with a pained groan, light footsteps rapidly came towards him and he opened his eyes to see the face of a concerned elf above him. "Are you okay?" He asked frantically, his sharp eyes searching for any visible wounds on him from the fall.

Jupiter turned his head to the side to cough as he nods. He took the hand that was offered to him and was easily pulled back up to his feet, "That fuckin' hurt." He grumbled, rubbing his lower back soothingly, "Damn birds..."

"Peach didn't run too far off, luckily." Legolas said, glancing back to the horses before focusing on his partner and patting him down gently, "Do you feel pain when I press anywhere?"

He shook his head, but then he flinched when his ribs were poked and prodded at, "A little."

"Just bruising then. Good." He sighed out, clearly relieved. "I suppose you wouldn't be against going back, would you? The sun is setting after all."

"Yeah, sure, it's been a while." Jupiter nodded, falling off a horse tired him out quite a bit. He's going to have to steal some candy from Esther's candy bowl to get his energy back.

Legolas took the task of retrieving Peach and Clementine as Jupiter straightened himself out, dusting off blades of grass that clung onto his clothes and ruffling his hair to get rid of a twig that got stuck in it. "Rose," The ellon said as they mounted their respective horses again, "I remember on the first day everyone and I had begun living at her home, Manny had shown us her phone and these images called pictures. Can we... do that as well?"

Jupiter was momentarily surprised by his suggestion, but it didn't take him long to readily agree, "Uh, yeah, sure. Why didn't I think of that? It'll be nice to record memories 'n shit. Bring Clementine right next to Peach."

Obeying, he watches as the man pulled out his phone and tapped on it before he held it up, wrapping an arm around Legolas's shoulders and pulling him closer so that he was in frame of the camera. The blonde's startled face was reflected onto the screen, "This is... strange."

Jupiter chuckled, "Look at the dot on the top and smile."

As soon as he saw the corners of his lips quirk up, he turned his head away from the screen in order to press a kiss against the elf's pale cheek that he felt instantaneously heat up beneath his lips. A click was heard, signaling that Jupiter took the picture. Pulling away, he was going to look at his phone again so he could pull up the picture, but nimble fingers took a hold of his chin before he was being kissed by Legolas.

He ignored the fact that his phone was taken out of his hand. He was much more focused on the way that Legolas confidently slid his tongue against his whilst gripping his crimson hair. A hum left him as his hair was lightly tugged from the tight grip and he heard a familiar click. Blinking his eyes open as he broke the fervent kiss, he was met with mischievous blue orbs. "Did you just?..."

Jupiter's question trailed off as he looked down at his phone in the other's hand. He took it away from him and opened up the pictures that were taken. The first one was admittedly adorable, he was definitely going to send it to Manny and probably even make it as his home screen, but the second one... Although it was Legolas's first time taking a picture, it was good. He can clearly see their tongues massaging against each other in the kiss and how enraptured Jupiter was in the kiss, so enraptured that he hadn't even notice Legolas peeking one eye open to take the picture.

"Damn, I'm so glad you took this picture." Definitely. Legolas looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself quite a bit in the picture, which made him want to put that expression back on his face. As if reading his mind, the elf chuckled deeply and brought him back into the kiss.

Peach and Clementine huffed impatiently.

* * *

When they returned to Esther's house, she had immediately sent Jupiter off to feed the chickens so that she could speak to Legolas privately. Although he muttered a nasty curse at her and a wooden spoon was immediately thrown directly to the back of his head, he still left the house, rubbing the wounded area.

"I want to show ya somethin', sweetheart." Esther told him as soon as the door shut. "C'mere." She waved him over to the couch, where she was sitting, and she pulled a photo album onto her lap as Legolas settled himself down beside her. She opened it.

"That's Jupiter." Legolas whispered, his gaze zeroing in on a picture of a little boy with the exact same crimson hair and golden eyes sitting on the exact same couch they were sitting on, reading a large book that was on his lap with an expressionless face. His cheeks were slightly sunken in and there were band-aids scattered on his arms and a small one on his forehead.

"Mhm." She hummed, "First picture of him my daughter took. This was about a month since he had moved here with her 'n her husband, refused to speak nothin' but a few words, neva wanted anyone to touch 'im. When he got frustrated or scared, he would get into these lil' angry fits that scared the hell outta all of us. The only thing that calmed him down were his father's books. He taught Jupiter how to read for a week, 'n he picked it up just like that." She snapped her fingers, "He tore straight through them, always askin' for more to read until his father finally gave him the damn college textbooks. The punk was a smartass from the very beginnin'."

"Where did those wounds come from?" Legolas asks, "He also appears to have not eaten as much as he should..."

"When his parents found him in an alley, he was starvin' to death 'n shiverin' like no tomorrow. They caught some bum tryin' to steal his clothes, kickin' 'n punchin' him, but they came just in time to get rid of him."

The elf shook his head sadly as his fingers brushed over the picture. From the very beginning, he has suffered... "He has been stubborn from the beginning, hasn't he? I did not know that he has gone through pain such as this as a child this young."

"You got that right." She breathed out a sigh and turned the page. This time, the pictures were much more uplifting. Jupiter was smiling in most of them, although small. "After several months, he started to warm up to all of us, especially his parents, 'n talked more 'n let us touch him. Did he tell ya how obsessed he was with that damn trilogy? Lord of the Rings? He would beg 'n beg for his mama to read those books to him at bedtime even though he knows damn well he can read them himself."

"Yes, I recall his friend, Manny, telling me this." He chuckled, remembering when he had first met Jupiter, who had been frozen and staring directly at him with comically wide eyes before Manny slapped him. "He knows quite a bit about it, it even surprises me sometimes."

"Yeah, well, you should've seen the look on his face when he found out there were films about the books. Watched them as much as he could..." She flipped the page again and pointed at a picture of Jupiter sitting in front of the television screen with a gigantic grin on his face, clutching a book to his chest, "This one was taken right when that blonde one came up on the screen. Lego-somethin'... Legolas! That's his name. He was the punk's favorite, always went off on these rants whenever one of us told 'im that one other character was better, teasin' him. 'Legolas is the best.' He would say, 'Shut up, he's  _mine_!'"

The woman snickered, slapping her knee as she remembered and the blonde joined in, because that would be something he would say, although his entire face was on fire because wait, Legolas was Jupiter's favorite when he was a child? And wait, did he really say that?

"That's when I knew he didn't like girls. All of us did. On 'n on he would talk about how Legolas was his 'n no one was allowed to talk bad 'bout him. Actually, you kinda look like him. Hm, makes me wonder."

Legolas was infinitely amused by her story but was unnerved by her calculating stare upon finishing. She shrugged and skipped a few pages to where he was older. It was a family picture of him, Esther, a woman that looked like a much younger version of her, and a man with a lighter shade of brown skin and short frizzy hair, "Those two are his parents. It's... It's a shame that they passed. He's been secretive about how they died, hasn't he? Don't take it personally, sweet pea, it's just hard for him to remember it all. It changed him for the worse."

He nodded numbly, aware of this. He only knew bits and pieces. Such as how his parents died, which was a car crash, and how he has a haunting memory of drowning, but he was not sure how they connected. "He has told me some of what happened. I never pry, I know first hand as well what it is like to lose a loved one, but at times I wish I could just pry it out of him, as horrible as that sounds. I can tell that it still pains him and all I want to do is help him heal."

"Lance, pumpkin," Esther gripped his shoulder and gave it a squeeze as she smiled up at him, "You're already healin' him. Just by bein' with him, he's healin'. No one, not even that sweet girl, Manny, has ever done that."

"Thank you." He gave her a half smile, grateful for the reassurance, "May I ask... Not that I am complaining, but, why are you showing and telling me all of this?"

"It's 'cause I wanted to give ya the good ol' threatenin' that I usually do with Jupiter's new partners, but I changed my mind. You are clearly different from all of those skanks he been with, you are someone that I can trust with my boy. But I'll still warn you, if ya hurt him, I'll kick yer ass."

"Of course, believe me, you will never even have to consider doing that. Hurting Jupiter is... is unthinkable."

"Good." Her smile warms, "The real reason why I wanted to talk to ya alone, is 'cause I wanted to tell ya to take care of him 'n cherish him. I have never in my life seen him like this or have seen  _anyone_  look at another person like he does with you. It reminds me so much of how his parents looked at each other 'n I don't want ya to leave without knowin' that. What he feels for you... Even I will neva be able to understand it. Even if I tried my hardest to do so."

Just as she finished, Jupiter came back into the house, kicking the door open while carrying two chickens under his arms and feathers in his hair, "Yo, hag, these two need to get checked, they're coughin' 'n their noses are runnin'."

Legolas slapped a hand over his mouth in a poor attempt to stop his laughter as Esther shot up from where she sat, tossing the album aside, "Dammit, boy, what did I tell ya about bringin' the damn chickens in the house?!"

"But I like carryin' them."

"You little-"

* * *

After they left, Jupiter immediately drove them to their next destination and was yet again secretive about it. Even though Legolas was disgruntled by how he wouldn't tell him anything, he couldn't help but grin seeing how excited Jupiter was to surprise him with the next thing they were doing on their date. It took them a bit longer to get there than it did to arrive at Esther's home, but Legolas was definitely more comfortable on the motorcycle than he had been before.

Once Jupiter parked his motorcycle in the parking lot in front of a large building, Legolas's curiosity peaked as they walked hand in hand into the building. The man quickly paid for their entrance and continued on, the faint sound of music rising steadily, all until they arrived in a large area. Legolas's wide eyes looked around him, feeling the temperature drop as soon as they stepped inside with other people laughing and talking around them, "Jupiter... Where are we?"

"At an ice-skating rink." He smirked, pointing over to the rink where people were indeed skating. The place wasn't bright at all, it reminded Jupiter of one of those retro roller-skating rinks where the lights are dim and colorful mood lighting is shined on the rink as music is played.

From what he can see, Legolas can tell that ice-skating wasn't as easy as some people on the rink were making it look. Using shoes with blades, they easily glided over the ice, even skating backward or twirling, while other people by the walls were skating normally or were struggling to keep balance. He winced when he saw a girl slip and her friend caught her while laughing. "I'm not sure if I will be able to do that."

"I think you'll get it pretty easily, you have balance on your side. I'm not that good either, so we'll both be learning."

"Well, I'll try to give it a chance." Legolas shrugs, the corners of his mouth twitching.

Jupiter's smirk transformed into a grin and he tugged him over to the booth where they would get their ice skates. It wasn't long before Jupiter had already stepped on the ice, holding onto the blonde's hands as he stared at the ice apprehensively, "C'mon, sug', if you fall, I'll catch you. I always will."

Legolas looked at him once he heard his statement and heat traveled up to his ears. With some hesitation, he stepped on the ice and... Realized it wasn't all too bad. Jupiter began skating backward slowly, telling him how he should be moving his feet.

After a few minutes, the elf had let go of his hands and was skating backward ahead of him.

"Wow, Legolas, just wow." Jupiter said blandly, his gaze happy, "Not even five minutes 'n you're a fuckin' pro. I demand you tell me your secret, dammit."

Legolas laughed joyfully, slowing down so that he was back at his side and laced their fingers together, leaning into his ear to whisper, "Never." Before he ripped his hand out of his grip, skating ahead.

"Son of a bitch! Get back here!" He skated forwards, putting as much power as he could into his steps in order to go faster. They both narrowly dodged other people who either glared or laughed as they flew by and Jupiter wasn't sure how he hasn't slammed into anyone yet with how fast he was going.

Inevitably, he jinxed himself with that thought when he finally caught the sneaky elf by the waist, realizing too late that he didn't know how to slow down, and ended up falling in a heap on the floor. They both giggled uncontrollably as they untangled themselves from each other, helping each other up. Legolas cupped his cheek and pressed a short kiss to his mouth before pulling him along to skate  _normally_  around the rink.

Jupiter took a few pictures as they spoke to each other, the both of them playfully arguing over who was faster. The first one he took was one of those classic couple pictures of their hands linked together and being pulled along by Legolas, whose face wasn't shone in the picture, only the back of him. The second one he took was just himself kissing the knuckles of Legolas's hand, and the third was a simple picture together.

After a moment of deep contemplation, he opened up Instagram. He put the picture of him kissing Legolas's hand and the hand holding on his post, writing the caption,  _'He's fucking mine, dickheads. Best date ever. :D'_. He showed it to Legolas, "What do you think?"

The elf rose an eyebrow, "I like the pictures, but..." He was both blushing and confused by the caption, "What is this?"

"It's an Instagram post. I can share pictures with people, more specifically my followers - 'n I have a shit ton of them. I don't usually post 'n I wasn't plannin' on sharin' any pictures of you, but I'm gettin' kinda sick of girls tryin' to get with me. I want to show them all that you're mine 'n I'm your's, period."

Legolas appeared to be very interested by this, "If it keeps women from trying to seduce you, then go right ahead."

Jupiter tapped on his phone before he pocketed it, smirking over at him, "I cannot wait for the chaos to ensue once they see that."

"Of course." He rolled his eyes. Legolas pulled him to a stop right in the middle of the rink and held both of his hands from where he stood in front of him, "Jupiter, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What were you going to tell me earlier before you had fallen off of Peach?"

Jupiter momentarily froze, clearly remembering what he was about to say. He was suddenly very glad that Peach had freaked out and nearly broke his back because it would have been extremely stupid to tell Legolas what he was planning to say. Oh, man, he fucking wanted to tell him, he wants to tell him right now... But he couldn't.

Not yet.

Jupiter shook his head, forcing a smile as he brushed away a stray strand of blonde hair, "Nothin'. It was nothin'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooF that took way too long to write and edit.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	30. XXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

It's been quite a while since he and Legolas had their first date.

The whole thing ended on a high note with the both of them returning home and falling asleep on the couch together. Or well, Jupiter fell asleep. Legolas made sure to wake him up before everyone came downstairs to start the day.

Jupiter panted roughly as he slowed to a stop on the sidewalk, yanking out his earbuds and bending over with his hands on his knees. He felt sweat drip down from his forehead, and down to his chin and neck. It's been a while since he had worked out so intensely. When he had become extremely busy with the lab work on the Fellowship, and also the whole appendix scare and kidnapping thing, he barely had much time to exercise.

Somehow, he finally found the time. It was probably a bad idea to go straight back to what he usually did, considering he knows he was going to be extremely sore later on today and tomorrow. Maybe he should've just jogged instead of walking to the gym, doing some light weight training, and then leaving to jog for who knows how long (he can never trust a treadmill ever again - don't ask). For the next couple of days, he might just do normal at-home exercises until his muscles aren't screaming in pain as much... Oh, but doing the same thing he's done today again without resting his sore body was so tempting...

Oh, well.

The redhead practically chugged the bottle of water he had, deciding that it was a good time to head back home.

His old basketball jersey clung to his chest as he walked in the opposite direction of where he was jogging. He nearly smacked himself for jogging so far away, it may have been thirty minutes of jogging, but keep in mind that he only had two or three walking breaks. Thankfully, he was still in the unbusy part of the city, which meant that he didn't go  _too_  crazy.

There were a bunch of shops and small restaurants lining the sides of the street, and every now and then a car would drive by or park at an empty spot on the side of the road. Having nothing other than his music to entertain him, he looked through the windows of the shops and restaurants as he passed by. Some were closed, some shitty, some interesting, nothing really caught his eye.

That was until he caught sight of strangely familiar short ginger hair.

He quickly backtracked and peeked through the large display window to squint at the back of the girl's head. He knows her, but he just couldn't put his finger on it... Dammit, now he  _has_  to go in and see who it is. Plus this shop looks pretty cool.

The door squeaked as he entered and the employee that was adjusting the displays of guitars on the walls turned around upon hearing the squeak. Both of their eyes widen upon seeing each other's faces. Okay, he definitely knows her. "Hey!" She grinned widely, quickly walking over to him, "It's you! Jupiter, right? I don't know if you remember me-..."

"Luna. I remember." He nods, "You're Genna's girlfriend."

"Yep, that's me! She told me how she ran into you when you were having boy problems and helped you out. Speaking of that, how did it go?" Luna rambled on excitedly.

"Very well." Jupiter smirked slightly, "He and I just went on our first date a while ago."

She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes even wider, "Really?! How was it?! Oh my goodness, Genna is going to be so happy when she hears about this, she's been worried this whole time!"

"It was... really nice." His trademark smirk softens. "Well, until my school started blowing up my phone."

"Oh boy, you came out to all of them?"

Jupiter only shrugged. He didn't really care about coming out to everyone, it shouldn't matter, he just wanted everyone who thinks they have a chance with him to just leave him be. The reactions were  _glorious_. Homophobic slurs left and right, some decent people sending him their congratulations, and the majority thought it was a joke or a typo.

Of course, he just had to confirm that no, it was not a typo, and yes, he was indeed a homosexual, with a follow-up post. A selfie in the bathroom mirror with Manny's mini rainbow flag that she had recently bought for him to put on his desk. And he captioned the post,  _'Boyfriend and I had a great time. Time to go to bed.'_  And  _that's_ when the chaos he had been waiting for happened.

He thought that the comments were crazy? Imagine what it was like at school. Don't get him wrong, he's glad that he finally got people to back off at school, but now everyone is talking about it and some guys are being real dicks about it... Oh, well, other than the homophobes, the gossip will blow over.

"I didn't think you needed a second job." He said suddenly, taking a glance around the shop.

Luna laughed a little as she rubbed her arm, "Well, Genna and I decided to find a house to live in, so we're trying to save up. Besides, I like working here, music is more my zone in the artistic field."

"Music, huh?" Jupiter mutters as he thought back to his own interest in it, "What kind of stuff is in here?"

"We got a little bit of everything, actually." She gestured over to each section as she listed off, "Strings, drums, woodwinds, brass, got some techno stuff like launchpads, and a lot of others."

The scientist tensed once she was finished. He just had the craziest idea... Okay, not necessarily crazy, but crazy in his standards when it comes to him. Maybe, just maybe he could... He  _has_  been messing around with a melody on his ukulele that he enjoys a lot. Maybe he could use a different- "So, Luna, I have this idea..."

"I'm listening." She rose an amused eyebrow, crossing her arms.

"And it may or may not have to do with my boyfriend..."

"Okay, now I'm  _really_  listening."

* * *

Genna and Luna are angels in disguise. Seriously.

The second he was finished telling the ginger what he had in mind, she had told him to give her a moment and disappeared into the backroom. A few seconds later he and a few browsing customers heard a faint squeal of excitement coming from where she went. He didn't know what else to do other than to pinch the bridge of his nose. Why does he always attract the crazy women?

Luna came back after a minute and gave him a piece of paper with the address of her and Genna's apartment, and to go there immediately to meet up with Genna, who she had called and wanted him there ASAP. Jupiter blanched at her, but before he could even ask  _why_  he was being invited into their apartment considering that they barely knew each other, Luna pushed him out of the shop while telling him that she'll be there in fifteen minutes.

Surprisingly, the apartment wasn't too far away. It was only a five-minute walk and it took him a moment to realize that this apartment was the same exact one that Manny used to live in.  _The one where the Fellowship fell out of her fucking TV_.

After he was buzzed in by Genna, he slipped into the bathroom first since he just finished working out and sweat was drenching his jersey. Luckily, it was empty and he swiftly changed his jersey into a shirt that he had packed in his drawstring gym bag and splashed some water onto his face. Before he knew it, feeling refreshed, he was stepping inside Genna and Luna's apartment whilst knawing on his toothpick.

Luna came in precisely three minutes later with her hair and clothes ruffled up, demanding them to wait as she grabbed her equipment.

And that's how he ended up getting help from two kind gay souls for the next hour.

Unfortunately, just as they were going to finally move on to the second step for his plan, his phone rang. The couple waved off his apology as he retrieved it from his pocket and didn't bother to look at the Caller ID, answering, "Hello?"

" _Jupiter?... It's me, Legolas._ " The elf's voice came through the line before muttering, " _Oh dear, this is really strange._ "

"Oh, hey, sug'." Jupiter's eyes immediately lit up, "How've you been this morning?"

" _It has been quite boring without you,_ " He admitted. " _Not much has happened here, either._ "

The redhead felt warmth crawl up to his cheeks and he cleared his throat, briefly glancing over at the two smirking women who were pretending that they weren't listening, "Not that I don't enjoy hearing from you, but is there something that you needed?"

" _I was just making sure you are alright. You have been gone for much longer than usual and I couldn't help, but worry, especially with... what happened before when all of us were unaware of your whereabouts._ "

Hearing the lingering pain in his voice struck a chord within Jupiter and he pursed his lips, "I'm sorry, I should have told you where I was going. I just went out to exercise and I ran into a couple of... friends I haven't seen in a while. I'll be home soon, okay?"

" _Alright._ " Legolas breathed out in relief, " _I will see you soon, then,_ meril-nîn _._ "

"See you." Then Jupiter hung up.

Turning back to his angels in disguise, he was instantly met with shit-eating grins. "Don't say shit." He growled out, pointing at the both of them angrily.

Genna rose her hands, "Wasn't planning to. Want to call it quits for the day? I'm completely free every Saturday so you can come by at any time that day so we could continue."

Jupiter nodded and stands up, "Thank you, the both of you, for helping me out with this. I would have my best friend to help me, but I don't want this to slip in any way, no matter how well she is at keeping secrets."

"You really trust us with keeping this a secret?" Luna asked curiously.

"Well, yeah, you guys don't know them personally... Yet."

* * *

When Jupiter returned back home, he found that the living room was completely empty. He huffed softly as he approached the couch, tossing both his gym bag and hat onto the coffee table before flopping down facefirst onto the furniture. A muffled groan of relief left him, his body finally getting the chance to relax from the long morning it went through.

He faintly heard the quiet slide of the glass door opening but didn't bother to look up. The cool cushions were doing wonders to his overheated skin and he was too busy enjoying it until his body heat inevitably warms it into his current temperature. The scientist didn't even hear light footsteps approach him until he heard a deep sigh from above him and then felt familiar fingers run through his hair.

Somehow, Jupiter found the strength to turn his head towards the elf, his cheek squished onto the cushion and the bridge of his nose slightly red from his glasses pressing against it. Legolas was kneeling beside him and giving him a disappointed look, "I can recognize that face from anywhere. Jupiter, you should know better than to overexert yourself."

"Ugh, I  _know_." He grumbled, "Can't help it."

"You are aware that you will feel much worse the next day." Legolas stated more than questioned.

"Meh. I'll just take an ice bath." Jupiter forced himself to turn onto his back with a small grunt, "But that's not important right now." He took a hold of his hand and brought him closer until he was able to pull him on top of him. The redhead used his free hand to mess with his braids, slowly undoing them as he muttered, "'m sorry."

His brows furrow, "What are you apologizing for? You have done nothing wrong."

"I should have told ya where I was going so you wouldn't worry if I was gone for a while."

"Jupiter, there is no need to apologize for that." Legolas laughed softly, leaning into his touch, "I do not need to know where you are every second of the day. It was just my fears getting the best of me earlier and I could not help but to check if you were safe."

"Well, I don't want that to happen again, so I'm still gonna let you know. I never want you to worry, I should be the one worryin' in this relationship."

"Oh, really?" He didn't sound too impressed, "Now who is the one in this courtship that conjures up fire every chance he gets and constantly finds himself running into trouble?"

"Details, Legolas, details." Jupiter carefully tucked some strands of hair behind his pointed ear, smirking when the elf had tensed for a moment before a disgruntled expression flashed on his face upon not feeling his fingers 'accidentally' brush against his ear. "Lab today, guinea pig?"

"Just as I was thinking you were finished with that insufferable name." Legolas grumbled long-sufferingly, "It was nice while it lasted."

"You love it."

"I have sixteen reasons why I do not like it ready at my disposal, Jupiter, and I am more than ready to use them."

"Woah, woah, woah, let's not get too ahead of ourselves there."

"That's what I thought."

Jupiter couldn't stop the grin from growing on his face after Legolas laid his head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss on the top of his head, "Can I kiss you?" He whispered.

Legolas lifts up his head and looks at him strangely, remembering himself asking something similar in the past, "You don't need to ask."

"I know, I just like hearing you say that I can." Jupiter slid his hands down until they were gripping his hips and watched as the blushing ellon moved up closer, his platinum blonde hair creating a curtain around them and yet again he was reminded of the lake.

Legolas leaned down and kissed him, and the redhead was briefly surprised by the intenseness from it. Jupiter's heartbeat became irregular under Legolas's hand, causing the blonde to redden more and give him the drive to move farther. Jupiter didn't stop the pleasurable groan from leaving him as the blonde became more dominant and shoved his tongue into his mouth, entangling it with his.

His hand slid down farther and Legolas gasped into the kiss, mostly from surprise, when it gripped his ass. Legolas wasn't exactly sure  _why_  he liked it, but he decided to file the thought away for another time.

"Ew, Jupiter, quit grabbing his butt."

They both flinched away from each other, their hearts in their throats as they both look at who decided to interrupt them. Jupiter had to crane his neck to see, but soon rolled his eyes and dropped his head back onto the couch, "Fuck off, Manny."

Jupiter could care less if they were being watched and even though Legolas looked as if he wanted to be six feet under right at that moment, having also been caught by his own best friend, he appeared to be just as frustrated by their interruption. So, Jupiter did what he does best. Ignore them.

Legolas yelped when he was suddenly held around the waist and flipped over, instinctively wrapping his legs around his partner's waist as he was dropped back down onto the couch. Jupiter was completely oblivious to his own muscles protesting, latching his lips back onto Legolas's. He has been deprived of Legolas's kisses since yesterday, a long day of school and work, and there was no way he was going to let those two stop him.

Aragorn turned his head away awkwardly, not sure what else to do other than to look away. He had definitely not been expecting to walk in on his close friend during his... activities with his suitor.

Manny, on the other hand, ignored her own awkwardness in favor of panicking, "Um, I think you two should really stop making out on the couch that we all sit on. The others are-"

"There you are Ma-  _What the-_ "

This time, the new voice made Legolas panic much more than Manny's. Jupiter felt hands push him and he was sent down onto the floor. He cursed loudly, rolling over so that he was able to sit up and was going to ask why Legolas did that, because  _ow_ , but the dreadful expression on his face made him pause. Jupiter then realized whose voice it was exactly that made him react like that, "Oh no."

He turned around to face whoever it was that caught him and cringed at the sight of the rest of the Fellowship there with all of their jaws dropped, and for some reason Frodo was being carried by both Pippin and Merry, who dropped him out of surprise.

"...Okay, so it's definitely what it looks like." Jupiter blurted out.

Gimli bursts out laughing.

* * *

"Manny, you and Frodo are fucking  _dating_? Why the fuck didn't you tell me?!"

"Revenge, Jupiter.  _Revenge_."

"You little bitch! How long has this been happening?! I was supposed to threaten him and everything, I was gonna have so much fun!"

"No, don't you dare threaten my boyfriend, you ding-dang sadist!"

"Okay, I think that's enough." Boromir cut through their squabble stiffly, his arms crossed.

It has been five minutes since the man had demanded that they all have a  _discussion_  about this new development at the dining table. As soon as they all sat down, Jupiter asked why Frodo, Pippin, and Merry looked as if they all were rolling in dirt. Apparently, everyone had found out about Frodo and Manny's relationship when Sam found the both of them hugging and giving each other a kiss behind the house. Sam didn't know what else to do other than cry out their names in shock and for Frodo to _book it_ upon seeing Pippin and Merry appearing as well.

When Sam had explained to the others what the commotion was about, the others followed after him to find the three hobbits. Aragorn, on the other hand, wasn't all too surprised and escorted Manny back into the house only to find Legolas and Jupiter on the couch making out. Then, before they could stop them again, the rest of their friends walked back into the house with Frodo in their clutches.

Now Manny and Frodo were shifting in their seats nervously while Jupiter leaned back in his chair, appearing way too relaxed in this situation, while Legolas held his hand tightly underneath the table. Although Jupiter appeared laidback, only the elf knew how anxious he was, and despite how normal Legolas appeared, the redhead can feel him twitching every several seconds.

"The four of you," Boromir addressed them after taking a deep breath, "You do realize how much this complicates everything?" He only received nods. "How long has this been going on?"

Manny shrugged slightly, "Well... Not too long after Legolas and Jupiter for us."

"A month." Legolas answered.

"A month and you did not bother to tell any of us?" He asked, his hands clenching into fists.

"Because this is exactly what would have happened." Jupiter cuts in, "We decided that we wanted it to be kept private until we were ready to tell all of you, but I guess that plan's in the fuckin' trash." He understood where Boromir was coming from here, and why he was angry, but the way he was looking at him specifically did not settle with him well.

"We all knew how you would all react." Frodo said nervously, "So we kept it a secret."

"Mister Frodo..." Sam spoke up gently, "You know that you won't ever see her again when we go back home.  _If_  we go back home."

"Exactly, which is why this is completely unacceptable!" Boromir stated firmly.

Manny's eyes widen, "Woah, let's all just calm down-"

"No, let him talk, Manny." Said Jupiter, his golden eyes flashing dangerously, "I have a feeling that we're going to need to listen to this."

"Boromir, be careful with what words ya choose to speak." Gimli warned, having seen the look on both of their faces.

The man completely ignored him, "This will all be for nothing, that is why it is unacceptable. We will leave this world and return home, and you will never see each other again. It is a waste of time to be meddling with love when any day now we will be back!" He then glared at Jupiter, "Not only that, it is wrong for two men to be in such a relationship!"

"I beg your pardon?" Legolas was the one, surprisingly enough, to say with his façade broken and an angered expression being revealed. "Explain to me what about it is wrong,  _Boromir_."

"It is unheard of, Legolas, you know this! Only a man and woman should-"

"It's unheard of." He interrupts, a humorless laugh leaving him, "It's unheard of! That's always the reason I hear! Only a man and a woman shall court, no pair of the same sex have no right to be together no matter how in love they are, how can that be  _fair_?"

"Legolas..."

"Jupiter,  _please_." The blonde looked at him and Jupiter closed his mouth. He returned his gaze back to Boromir, "For all my life I have wondered why I was never interested in anyone. Why I never accepted the elleths my father chooses for me to court, let alone interested in the idea of courting! These questions that have clung to me for all of these years were answered when I met Jupiter. I confess, I had also thought it was wrong to feel this way for him, but why should gender matter? Because it has never been seen before? It is people like  _you_  that make people like us in Middle Earth hide in the shadows, praying to not be caught and banished for what we cannot control!"

Legolas was on his feet by now, his darkened glare unwavering on the man who was gritting his teeth. "Jupiter is  _everything_  to me and if I have to go through indescribable suffering and die from the heartbreak, then  _so be it_."

Boromir stood up, his chair screeching against the floor and he gave one last glower to both him and Jupiter before walking away. They all heard him go up the stairs and a door slamming closed.

A trembling breath that Legolas had not known he was holding left him. Jupiter's heart ached at the sight of him looking down, trying to process what had just happened. Uncaring of the eyes watching him - Legolas was much more important than what they think - he gently guided him onto his lap and held him close.

Jupiter was surprised by how calm he was being right now. All he wanted to do was go chase after Boromir and beat the shit out of him for giving Legolas all of this pain, but he knew that it wouldn't solve anything. Instead, he glared at the others and asked bitterly, "Got anything else to say?"

"I- Well..." Pippin spoke hesitantly, unsettled by his glare, "You all really want to go through this? I don't want any of you to get hurt..."

The four of them relaxed at his question. Frodo gave him a sad smile, "Yes. This is what we want."

"And as you can tell, we've already known about the consequences and accepted them." Manny stated.

Aragorn, who had been quiet until now, said, "I have no issue with this. I know better than the rest of us how uncontrollable it is."

"Me neither." Gimli nods, "But I rather not see what I just saw wit' the elf and Jupiter ever again."

"Yes, I think I will have nightmares about it, now." Merry shivered.

Everyone laughed, even Legolas, who had lifted his head up with hope in his eyes. The archer looked at Jupiter happily, relief washing over the both of them upon finding out that everyone -  _mostly_  everyone - was accepting of them. Legolas couldn't help, but to cup his cheek and give him a kiss.

"Nice speech." Jupiter muttered against his lips.

"I have been spending too much time with you."

"It's not like either of us are complaining." He smirked.

Legolas chuckled and kissed him again.

"What did I just tell you, ya damn elf?!"

The table erupted in laughter once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meril-nîn: my rose
> 
> Uh oh.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	31. XXXI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of a filler, but not really. I just got my braces a couple of days ago and my mouth is pretty sore so it was pretty hard to concentrate on writing this chapter xD
> 
> Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.
> 
> WARNING: I'm gonna be honest, I kinda ran out of ideas for this chapter lol. Don't worry, I have some things planned for next week's publish!
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"So, Jupiter, I saw your post a few days ago. Mind explaining?"

"For fuck's sake."

Jupiter was just trying to go to the bathroom. Literally, all he wanted to do was take a piss and take a break from his teacher's boring ass lecture. He drank a shit ton of coffee this morning and it's going straight through him, so the last thing he needed right now was his ex-girlfriend somehow finding him and cornering him while he's trying to rush to the bathroom.

The bathroom was right there.

He  _really_  needs to go to the bathroom.

The girl rose a brow up at him expectantly, "Are you going to explain or not?"

"No, I am not going to explain, I think I made it extremely clear what I said. Now, I'm about to piss my pants so can you-"

"You're not gay. You've always dated girls, you dated  _me_ , you're not gay!"

...Peeing can wait.

Jupiter looked down at Isabelle incredulously, not exactly sure if she was being serious or not, "Excuse me? You interrupt my urgent trip to the fucking bathroom to tell me that?"

"Yes!" She threw her hands up and placed them on her hips afterward, "I know you, Jupiter. You're not into guys, you've always been with girls, so I'm not sure if this is some fucked up joke, or you're trying to make me jealous or something."

The redhead blinked owlishly down at her before snorting and snickering, "You- You really think-" A loud laugh left him, wrapping an arm around his stomach as he doubled over, "Y-You really think-" Jesus, he couldn't even finish his sentence. He expected himself to get angry, he even subtly used useless breathing exercises in preparation, but what she said made him greatly amused more than anything.

Isabelle's brows furrowed, "What? What's so funny?"

"Oh my go- Okay, I'm going to break this down for your dumbass." He straightened up, his laughs finally dwindling down to nothing and looked her straight in the eye, telling her slowly, "I'm. Extremely.  _Gay_."

"...What?"

"I, Jupiter Holo, one of the baddest bitches around, am the proud boyfriend of a guy that's downright amazing and so hot that it should be illegal. Period."

"No... No, no, no." She shook her head, "No! This is-" A forced laugh left her, "You're lying! You are  _so_  lying, this can't be a joke, so you must be trying to make me jealous and get back with me, aren't you?"

"See, do all girls do that? Do they all come to these conclusions that make absolutely zero fucking sense because if they do, then I am so glad that I figured out I was gay after breaking up with you. Woah, holy shit, I said it  _again_! I'm gay, Isabelle. Gay, gay, gay. Homosexual. Queer. I would use more synonyms but they're pretty offensive."

"Prove it then." Isabelle crossed her arms, "Prove that you're gay and I'll believe you."

"I don't have to prove shit, especially to  _you_. This whole jumping to conclusions shit you're doing is something that even my brain cannot comprehend or process no matter how intellectually superior I am. Why the hell would I want you to get jealous to get back with me when  _you_  cheated on  _me_  and  _I_  broke up with  _you_?" He shoved past her, "If you'll excuse me, my bladder is about to explode."

His furious ex's fists shook as he walked away, bursting out, "You're not a fag, Jupiter!"

Jupiter turned around, walking backward, "That's like saying you're not a slut, Isabelle! Oh, and by the way  _fuck you_  and  _fuck off_."

* * *

"Oh my fucking God, why won't the bitch leave me alone?! Ugh, and I was doing so great at avoiding her too!"

Manny rolled her eyes from where she sat in the driver's seat, waiting for the traffic light to turn green, "Block her number."

"I did, but I keep getting voicemails from her. Who the fuck leaves voicemails anymore?!"

"Plenty of people do?..."

"I don't! She doesn't! You don't! Nobody does!"

"Okay, you're still angry and not listening so I'll just..."

"Fifteen voicemails. Fifteen. Again, who the fuck leaves a voicemail let alone  _fifteen_?!"

Manny thought  _she_  was crazy? Oh no, once Jupiter gets driven up the damn wall, he loses his mind. To the point where his best friend remains silent and watches from the sidelines, armed with a teaspoon, waiting for Jupiter's already unhinged mind to implode. These episodes were terrifying because they were extremely rare, usually leading her to stop him from consuming large amounts of sugar in a desperate attempt to calm down. And she means literal sugar. Straight out of the  _bag_.

Don't ask.

His rant about voicemails continued on even as she dragged him out of the car once they arrived home. Jupiter was going so in-depth and making the rant so detailed that Manny was starting to lose  _her_  mind. Not only that, but seventy-five percent of his vocabulary was so advanced that she wanted to pull her hair out.

The second she got inside with Jupiter being dragged by his backpack - still passionately muttering - she called out, "Legolas!" Everyone - other than Boromir, who was not present in the living room - looked on in confusion upon seeing their current state. Manny shoved the redhead in front of her and pointed at him, "Fix this."

"It's a  _cacophony_  of- Wait, when did we get home? How the fuck did I get here? What did I miss- Mmph!"

"Shut.  _Up_."

Jupiter slowly chewed on the two ribbons of Airhead Xtremes that were shoved into his mouth and took the rest of the package of candy before he felt a hand grab him, and was guided over to a couch chair. Jupiter instinctively wrapped an arm around Legolas's waist as soon as the elf sat across his lap, mostly concentrating on the sour candy as he greeted his One with a small squeeze.

"Jupiter appears to be... What's the word, Pip?"

"I'm not sure, Merry, but I think I understand what you're trying to say."

"Me too." Frodo nodded thoughtfully.

Sam thoughtfully rubbed his chin, "Mad?"

"Yes! Mad!" Pippin pointed at him before looking at Manny, "Has Jupiter gone mad?"

"Temporarily, yeah." Manny shrugged, dropping her bag and sitting beside Frodo, pecking his cheek nonchalantly. "He gets like this sometimes when he goes insane. It starts off normal, some anger, no big deal. It's when he starts ranting about something that makes no sense and using big words that you start to worry. It seems like it's no big deal, but he gets annoying and you just have the strongest urge to strangle him, y'know? Candy usually calms him down, but this is the first time I've ever seen him completely silent without eating sugar by itself."

"So, basically, you, but much more irritating?" Aragorn inquired with a small smirk.

"Exactly! But scary too- Hey, wait a minute, what did you just say?"

Gimli, of course, was the first to burst out into barrels of boisterous laughter. As they failed to calm themselves down, Legolas was the only one to remain stoic and turn all of his attention to Jupiter, who was still munching away. The blonde couldn't stop his smile at the sight of how one of his cheeks was slightly puffed as he ate his candy, "Such a troublesome man."

"Schush ah twoubleshum ewlf."

Legolas chuckled at the immediate response, "Don't speak with your mouth full, you'll choke." He rolled his eyes when Jupiter only stared at him blandly and shoved the rest of the strip of candy in his hand into his mouth. "Very funny. Anyway, I can only assume from what Manny has told us already that your day hasn't been too great."

Jupiter shook his head then rose a brow at him as if asking about how his day was. The ellon easily deciphered what he was silently saying, shrugging, "It hasn't been too great, actually. Boromir has been... difficult."

That was all the redhead needed to swallow the rest of what was in his mouth and say, "Do I need to punch him? Trust me, I already plan to once I get the opportunity."

Legolas shook his head, appearing relieved that Jupiter was finally back to himself again. "No, there is no need for violence no matter how well deserved it is. It is just that he has been silent and avoiding us all. Estel has tried speaking with him, but it had only ended with an argument."

The scientist nodded thoughtfully before turning to look at Manny, who was giving him sidelong glances as she spoke about what she did at school today to everyone else upon their request, "I'm okay now."

A large sigh of relief left her and she not-so-subtly did the sign of the cross, "Hallelujah."

"I have a proposal to make." Legolas announced suddenly, "It feels as if it has been years since we all sat together here and enjoyed a film. Perchance we watch one today?"

"Ohh, that's a great idea!" Manny gasped, clapping her hands excitedly, "A movie marathon! Jupiter, you don't have any homework, do you?"

"Only math shit I can do later. A movie marathon sounds nice, though."

She hopped up from her seat, "Okay, okay, you get Netflix up on the TV and I'll get the snacks- Oh, wait, should I see if..." She made an unnecessarily big gesture to show that she was talking about Boromir, who was upstairs reading books that Manny had brought for them all to entertain themselves with when they get especially bored.

"I will go ask, lass." Gimli offered, standing up.

Manny smiled, "Thanks."

They both went off to do their own tasks and Jupiter sighed, lightly nudging Legolas off of his lap so he could stand up and passed his Airhead Xtremes to him before he began doing the job he was tasked with. "So, Frodo..." A small smirk was planted on Jupiter's face, "You and Manny, huh? How's that going for you?"

A sudden sense of dread washed over the poor hobbit and the others around him stared apprehensively, "It is going well. Yesterday we went on our first date, it was quite nice." Frodo said, ignoring the alarms blaring in his head as he smiled softly at the memory.

"That's cool, Legolas and I had our first date too a while back. Where did you two go?"

"We went to this place called an arcade where we played many games. And after that, we left with prizes that we won for each other and ate ice cream."

"Jupiter and I went to his grandmother's farm to ride her horses," Legolas shared. "Afterwards, we went ice skating together. It's been a very long time since I've had that much fun."

His suitor gave him a small grin before turning his attention back to Frodo, "I know this might be a little too late to say, but..." A sickly sweet smile stretched across his face, "I know that you'll take care of Manny, but if you  _ever_  hurt her, I will fucking obliterate you. Understand?"

Now everyone knew why they had a strong sense of foreboding. Frodo nodded his head vigorously, "Of course, I never want to hurt her nor will I ever. You have my word."

"Good." His forced smile dropped back to his usual smirk and he waved absentmindedly as he pulled up Netflix on the screen, "You have my blessings to date her and maybe marry her in the future and all that junk."

"Sometimes I forget how terrifying Jupiter is." Pippin whispered to Merry.

Merry nodded in agreement, "Nearly as frightening as Orcs."

"What was that my two little hobbit guinea pigs?"

"Nothing!" They both squeaked.

"Jupiter, quit harassing them!" Manny demanded as she arrived with her arms full off snacks. Aragorn and Frodo were quick to get some of them off her hands and help to set them down on the coffee table. "And didn't I tell you to not threaten Frodo?"

The redhead merely shrugged and passed the remote to her as he approached Legolas, who got up so Jupiter could sit down before he was pulled down onto the man's lap. He tilted the elf's chin down in order to give him a kiss as Manny shut the curtains to darken the room, "Ew, you two are so disgustingly sweet that I think I'm gonna throw up rainbows."

Legolas blushed as he broke the kiss while Jupiter, on the other hand, flipped her off. Aragorn shrugged his shoulders, "They both remind me of Arwen and I. We could not keep our hands off of-"

"Estel, as hypocritical as it is to say, I do not think that I want to know of your activities with Arwen." The elf said, wincing at the mental image.

At that moment, Gimli came downstairs alone and gave a half-hearted glare towards Mirkwood's prince, "And I do not think that I want to see ya lads smooching over there either!" He huffed.

Everyone laughed when Jupiter merely flipped him off too with zero expression on his face while Legolas silently pushed his hand down with a scolding look. Manny snorted at the spectacle, "Alright, settle down kids, back to the movies. So there's  _The Hunger Games_ \- Wait, that has too much murder and sad times...  _Divergent_ \- Nope. Hate it. Oh! What about  _Pirates of the Carribean_? That one isn't too bad, it's about pirates."

"Orlando Bloom is in that one." Jupiter stated.

"Who is Orlando Bloom?" Legolas inquired.

The man and woman glanced at each other, "Well... Y'know how in  _The Lord of the Rings_  movies you're all played by actors that look pretty much exactly like all of you?" Manny asked everyone and they all nodded, "The actor who plays as Legolas, is Orlando Bloom."

"Is he really?" This caught Legolas's attention and his curiosity peaked, "I would not mind watching the film." Everyone else appeared to agree.

"Alrighty then, may the movie marathon begin!" Manny shouted before pressing play.

Jupiter brought Legolas closer and felt himself relax as the blonde sunk into his embrace, laying his head on his shoulder. The both of them shared the bag of candy in his hands. The movie immediately started with Elizabeth, in which Manny blew a raspberry at. She and Jupiter both had a mutual dislike for her. And then, after that, Will Turner made his appearance.

Legolas blinked owlishly as everyone snorted at the sight of Will breaking the candle holder on the wall and then hiding it. Their mirth was abruptly cut off when there was a close up to his face and when he began to speak. "The resemblance is uncanny!" Aragorn nearly shouted.

"He looks nothing like me." The elf protested, "He has dark hair and facial hair!"

"He may not look exactly like you, but he sure does look like you if you were a man." The ranger said.

"I still do not see it. Jupiter, please do not tell me you agree with him." The blonde turned to his suitor and he blanched upon seeing him smirk sheepishly, "Jupiter!"

"Darlin', you have to at least agree that he has the same face as you. And Aragorn isn't wrong."

"This must be how betrayal feels." Legolas shook his head solemnly, "I trusted you, Jupiter. How can you do this to me?"

"Yes, how could you do that to Legolas, Jupiter?" Merry grinned.

"Ugh, just watch the damn movie. Jack is about to come on."

Jack Sparrow's first appearance, much to Manny's excitement, came on the screen. He had always been a favorite of her's and no matter how much of a jerk he can be, she always roots for him. Sounds very familiar, doesn't it?

Overall, it was a fun adventure movie full of action that had the hobbits cheering the characters on. Both Aragorn and Gimli as well appeared to enjoy the fighting scenes, especially with the magic thrown into the mix. By the end of it, Legolas begrudgingly admitted that Will was a fine warrior and that he  _might_  look a tad bit like him.

"What movie should be next?" Manny asked as she scrolled through the choices.

"What is that one?" Frodo asked, pointing at one of the images.

Sam looked curious as well, "That's a large boat."

"Oh, that's  _Titanic_. It's about the sinking of the largest ship during that time period, but the story revolves mostly around a girl named Rose and a dude named Jack who fall in love."

"Play it."

Manny looked over at Jupiter, "Huh? Oh yeah, this is your favorite movie, isn't it? I almost forgot you like romance movies. How about the rest of you?"

They all agreed and so, she played it.

It was when the movie was halfway through that Jupiter realized that maybe he shouldn't have told Manny to play it. This is one of the most legendary romance movies  _ever_. A movie he has seen hundreds of times and results in the same thing near the end,  _every time_.

Legolas watched sadly as Rose let go of Jack's hand, his lifeless body sinking into the freezing depths of the ocean. It was heartbreaking and melancholy hit everyone all at once, causing them to remain silent as the rest of the movie played out.

He turned his attention to Jupiter upon hearing a sniffle and was more than shocked to find that he was crying. Two droplets of tears ran down his cheeks, but they were quickly wiped away so that he wouldn't get caught, completely unaware of the blue eyes watching him. Unfortunately, another tear fell and this time Legolas brought his hand up to wipe it away, shifting so that he shielded everyone's view of him in case their gazes drifted over to them.

Jupiter appeared to be mortified that he had been caught and looked away. He always gets like this during sad romantic movies. He couldn't help it. He always unconsciously puts himself and his One in the characters' shoes at the worst possible moments and the waterworks start without his control.

His tears brought horrible memories for Legolas. Seeing Jupiter cry in general broke his heart, but remembering the times in the past in which he witnessed him cry crushed him and filled him with both sadness and guilt. He quietly shushed the man, pressing his forehead against his as he wiped the remaining wetness away. Jupiter's tenseness ebbed away as his cheek was cupped and caressed, sniffling.

Legolas pecked the tip of his red nose and the man scoffed, the color also spreading to his cheeks, "It's stupid, I know." He whispered.

"It is  _not_  stupid." The blonde gave him a small glare, "There is nothing stupid about crying. Everyone does it, even you."

"Yeah, but I'm crying over a movie I've watched so many times that I've lost count."

"Still." He gave him a soft kiss on the lips, "Although I do not like seeing your tears, I find it endearing how you feel so strongly for others - even people who might not even exist - and how it invokes such a strong reaction from you."

"Shut up..."

"I will never shut up." Again, he kissed him, but it may or may not have lasted a tad bit longer. It was a great relief that they both no longer needed to hide their affections.

If anyone saw Gimli glance at the pair before refocusing his attention back on the screen without a word, they didn't say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought Isabelle was gone for good? HAH. You thought wrong.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	32. XXXII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Fixed a mistake I caught. I called the therapist's ex-husband her wife so that was fun finding out, lol.
> 
> WARNING: Oh would you look at that I'm still not a doctor. Shocker. But seriously, I looked all this shit up on the internet so don't take everything in here as fact, just pretend it is for the sake of the story.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter cannot believe he is doing this.

He seriously can't believe he is  _fucking_  doing this.

It's not his fault. He swears, he didn't want to do this, he had said a firm no, but then he was looking into big blue eyes and a hand was caressing his cheek as a pleading whisper of his name fell from those soft, sweet lips he constantly desires to claim every waking moment... Why was he so weak?

That fucking elf is so fucking lucky that Jupiter is downright smitten with him.

Tapping his foot impatiently in the waiting room, he checked the time on his phone. It's been twenty minutes since he walked in and fourteen minutes since he finished filling out the papers the receptionist had handed him when he checked in. He can still leave. Jupiter can just cancel it right here, right now, go back home - his cozy, comfortable home - and then come face to face with... a very disappointed Legolas.

Damn.

Legolas. This is for Legolas. He's doing this for him. Just one session, one extremely long session that might take hours, that's all his One asked for. He can do this. He can fucking do this. He fucking hates this already, but he can do this. He just needs to distract himself, count the cracks on the floor, count how many freckles are on that old lady's wrinkled face, anything to keep him from bolting.

"Jupiter Holo?"

The redhead looked up and stood upon seeing a friendly looking man wearing a name tag with a cleanly shaved face waving for him to follow. Jupiter only stuffed his hands in his pockets, speeding up slightly to catch up with him as he walked through the opened double doors. He nearly scoffed at the dark carpet and dark wooden walls along with various classic paintings hung on them. This place was trying to give a comforting atmosphere, but don't be fooled by it.

Near the very end of the hall, they stopped and the nameless man knocked on a door with a sign on it saying,  _Nataliana, Adalind_. There was a woman's muffled voice saying to come in almost immediately after and the man opened the door, gesturing for Jupiter to head inside. Reluctantly, he entered the room and took a quick once over of the office. Huh, it hasn't changed a bit.

He glanced behind him upon hearing the door click shut and saw that the man left without another word. Turning back, he saw an elated woman in her late thirties approaching him in high heels and a comfortable grey dress with a black blazer resting on her shoulders. "Jupiter! Wow, it's been so long, you've grown up so much!"

Jupiter unwillingly felt a bit touched that the woman in front of him still remembered him. After years of experiencing false happiness from others, he can easily tell that she was genuinely happy to see him after all this time. Before he could even say anything, she stopped in front him and sighed, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, I'm just very glad you came back. After what happened before I just... I was afraid you wouldn't come back."

He visibly winced at the memory, but quickly recovered and shrugged his shoulders, "I just want to get my head checked out and leave. That's all. No offense, but I hate it here and I really didn't want to step back into this place."

"Is that so? What changed your mind?" She asks, genuinely curious as she gently took his arm and guided him over to the plush couch chairs at the other side of the room that were facing each other with a small table beside them. A notepad and pen sat innocently on the table.

"My boyfriend." He told her without much thought. He might as well not be closed off from her, Adalind was the only one who got him to open up back then. She understood him more than anyone in this damn place.

"Boyfriend?" Adalind gasped lightly as they sat down, and she grabbed the notebook and pen, "Congrats! Oh dear, I wish I was young and spry again, it's starting to get a little lonely with my birds. Peanut butter ice cream isn't making me any less lonely either." That got a tiny smirk from him. "Enough about me, how have you been?"

The sudden change of tone in her voice made him shift. He knew the subject was going to switch quickly back to him, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. "I, um-..." He has to be honest. This is a goddamn psychological evaluation, he needs to fucking do this. For Legolas. "After what happened I started drinking and smoking a shit ton."

She nods her head silently, watching intently with nothing but understanding in her eyes.  _Unlike the dickwad before_. "To this day I have issues with insomnia, either sleeping extremely late and waking early, sleeping and waking from a nightmare then unable to fall back asleep, or not sleeping at all. I've also gone through some crazy stuff a while ago."

"Yes, I saw it in your files. The kidnapping... Are you comfortable with talking about it?"

"Yeah, it wasn't too traumatic, I'm mostly over it. I was just creeped out mostly the entire time. Nothing much happened... He tried giving me Stockholm Syndrome or some shit, but his brother got me out. The only thing that bothered me was when he tortured me with water."

Adalind quickly scribbled something down and looked at him again, "How is your drinking and smoking issue?"

"Better, actually." Jupiter felt oddly proud about it. "My boyfriend wanted me to quit, he hated how I constantly did it to make me feel better, so I stopped. I'm still going through withdrawal, though."

"That's great!" She appeared delighted by the news, "Your boyfriend has been helping you quite a bit hasn't he? What's his name?"

"Lance." He leaned back in his seat, "He's done a lot for me, yeah. There's no one else like him and I'm lucky to have him."

Adalind smiled warmly, "Good." She took a deep breath, "Now, I can tell that you are the same as you were when you were younger. You don't like it when I beat around the bush, so can you tell me again what had happened on the day that your parents died?"

* * *

Jupiter stared down at the three papers stapled together in his hand as he sat in the driver's seat in the parking lot of the small building he had just walked out of. He wasn't surprised by the results, not at all, he kind of suspected it, but it was shocking how quickly Adalind diagnosed him. At the same time, though, all of this still took a little effort to process.

Honestly, he was still a bit pissed off that she suggested he take antidepressants. Even when she told him it would be much smaller dosages. Suggesting rehab was understandable, but antidepressants... She should have known better than to suggest those kind of drugs for him to get better. She knows what happened before.

 _"You stupid little brat, you have to take your medication! You should be grateful that my wife and I take time out of our day to help you! You know what, if you don't take them yourself, I'll just_ make _you."_

_"Fuck you, Cohen! She divorced you a week ago, she's only toleratin' you! 'N for your information, these aren't helpin' me! I keep tellin' you that, but you won't listen!"_

_"You're just a kid, you don't know what is and what is not helping you! I am the oldest one in this room with the degrees so I know exactly what is supposed to happen."_

_"Adalind gave me her new DSM-5 book, I read the entire thing, 'n both she 'n the book tell me that certain medications made to help me don't necessarily help some people. 'N by the way, you piece of shit, I may be a kid, but I know damn well that you didn't earn those degrees as you should have. You see, Doctor fuckin' Cohen, you haven't been observin' me. Your wife has._ I'm _the one who has been observin'_ you _."_

_"Why you... That's it! I've had it! If I can't shut your mouth with your meds, I'll just beat you until you shut up!"_

Five hours later the man was found tied to a chair with a black eye and dried blood underneath his nose, and a voice recording and documents proving that the previous beloved psychological therapist, Doctor Cohen, was merely a fraud, a pathological liar, and a crazy bastard. None of the investigators knew who did it and how they found this information so easily. Not even Adalind and he'll keep it that way.

Adalind had only nodded when he refused to take the medication and go to rehab. She had him promise to continue taking medicine to help deal with his withdrawals, seeing as they were working and only warned him to not take too many in a short span of time no matter how horrible they get. The only thing she did prescribe him was medicine to aid in his insomnia. He doubts they will work, but she suggested he give it a try, promising that it will only affect his sleep and nothing else.

"Well, might as well go pick them up now." He muttered, strapping in his seat belt before turning his car on. He put the car in reverse and placed his hands on the wheel, his foot glued to the brakes. A sudden wave of foreboding and nausea went through him as his car hummed, staring at his rearview mirror rather than looking over his shoulder like he's supposed to. Maybe... Maybe it wasn't the greatest idea to take his car.

Swallowing down the feeling like he has many times before, he looked over his shoulder as he backed out before putting it back in drive and going on his merry way to the store.

He huffed as he placed his groceries on the conveyor belt. This chick was getting really fucking annoying, babbling about how she just broke up with her boyfriend as she scanned his items. He said nothing the entire time, not even bothering to pretend that anything she was saying was remotely interesting. Back then, even in a relationship, he would have pretended to, and even feign sympathy and flirt with her. But now? Even for a possible discount? Don't make him laugh.

Since he started having feelings for Legolas, even before he was even aware of it, he despised the thought of flirting with girls for his own gain. Before the girl could even suggest giving her number as he picked up the last bag, he looked her dead in the eye, "I have a boyfriend."

Oh man, it felt so good to say that for once. Now he knows how girls feel when shutting down a guy. He wonders if they too revel in the surprise and anger on their faces.

* * *

Jupiter cursed as he entered the house, his clothes damp from the first initial wave of rain. He took a quick peek out the window, seeing that if he were to get out of the car with the groceries a few seconds too late he would be soaked by now.

The living room was dark. Everyone must be in their rooms sleeping...

He quickly put the groceries away and placed the small white bag from the pharmacy on the counter in order to make a quick meal. He's fucking starving.

Opening the fridge, he paused when he saw a container of food he hadn't seen before with his name written on a folded piece of paper on top of it. Taking it out, he opened the note and easily recognized it as Legolas's handwriting. It said:

_Manny showed Sam and I the recipe book you have been using for the past few days. She told us that this one is your favorite._

_\- Legolas_

Jupiter's mood instantly lifted as he opened up the container. Manny had shown them the cookbook that was filled to the brim with healthy recipes that were mostly vegetarian. Before the Fellowship came to this world, he used the recipes all the time, but now that he was back on track with his work out schedule he was back to cooking meals like this for everyone.

His favorite out of all of the recipes were the stir-fry soba noodles with miso gravy. It sounded kinda weird, but it's pretty good. It had tofu, broccoli, eggplant, and other vegetables. It was kinda weird how he doesn't like tofu, but this dish made it taste great.

After heating it up, he took a bite and instantly took another. Coming home to this after a long day was amazing.

Stuffing the white bag in his hoodie pocket, he headed down the hall to his lab and blinked when he heard muffled music coming from behind the secured door. Legolas was definitely inside there. Jupiter wasn't even surprised at this point that the elf managed to figure out how to use the Bluetooth on his phone, he must have Spotify still downloaded on that thing.

Once he got inside and down the stairs, he leaned against the doorframe as he watched an oblivious Legolas read one of the many textbooks around him. He took a bite of his food, noting that he was listening to a type of music he wasn't expecting. He expected Legolas to like classical music - was that a bit stereotypical? - but he appeared to like the R&B/Soul music he was listening to.

As Legolas reached over to grab his phone, presumably to change the new song that played, he caught sight of him, "Jupiter!" He hastily turned off the music.

Jupiter chuckled, "Y'know, you 'n Sam nailed this. I should make you two cook more often." He joked as he raised the container slightly, smirking.

"I'm glad that you're enjoying it, I was able to see for myself why you like it so much." Legolas smiled, closing the textbook. "How did it go?"

"How did what go?"

"The session."

"...Oh." Jupiter grumpily took another bite. "That."

"Oh, dear." The ellon sighed, "It didn't go too well, did it?"

"Well, I mean..." He joined Legolas at the lab table, bringing a seat over to sit on beside him. "It could have gone worse. I didn't freak or anythin', it's just the stuff that I had to talk about. She diagnosed me quick too, it's- Here, I'll just show you." He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out the carefully folded stapled papers.

Legolas took it and unfolded it before reading through it quickly. His face grew even more concerned as he continued, his brows furrowing as he turned to the second page. "PTSD?"

"Post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental condition in which I have difficulty recoverin' from an extremely traumatic event. It has to do with that nightmare I told you about, that time I nearly drowned. It affects my dreams 'n gives me anxiety, basically. She says that compared to when I was a kid, I've been doin' better, but who knows?"

"I feel as if you're leaving something out, Jupiter."

The scientist cringed upon seeing his stern look. Great, he can't hide anything from him, Legolas knows him too well. "I, um... I refused to take medicine to help with my PTSD. Somethin' happened with my old therapist that... Fuck." Suddenly losing his appetite, he set aside the mostly eaten food.

" _Meril-nîn_..." Legolas whispered, taking a hold of his hand. "It's alright."

Jupiter stared down at their hands with a small frown, bringing them up so he could kiss the knuckles of the pale one. "The old therapist... He was the husband of my current one. His name was Gary Cohen. He wasn't a legal psychotherapist. He was a liar 'n a delusional dickhead who thought he was the smartest man in the world. I'll skip the borin' details 'n just tell you that he made me take a ridiculous amount of antidepressants. He thought that drugs were the answer, but..."

He began playing with the pale fingers, distracting himself from the growing hatred within him, "It wasn't. It felt as if I was in some kind of fucked up mental prison. Whenever I was anxious or... or about to panic, I was just stuck with it all shoved in a corner. It's so hard to explain, but it was torture havin' my body filled to the brim with the chemicals my neurons were forced to fire 'n it was just- I couldn't take it. It didn't take long for me to expose him as a fraud 'n to this day I get anxious just by the thought of drugs affectin' my emotions like that."

He took out the small wrinkled white bag from his hoodie pocket and placed it on the table. "That's medication I have to take to help me sleep... I just... Should I have said yes? If Adalind said I should take antidepressants, should I have agreed? W-What if it gets worse if I-I don't take the-"

"Jupiter,  _breath_." Almost immediately, he took a deep breath. "Now look at me." Hands cupped his cheeks as he looked up from his now empty shaking hands. He was met with a hard stare, lit aflame with a resolve, "You do  _not_  have to take them if you don't want to. Can you not see how just speaking of it affects you? If that medication hurts you rather than help, then it would make absolutely no sense if you agreed to take it. Do you understand?"

Jupiter swallowed thickly and nodded his head after a moment, his heart still beating at an intense rate. Legolas smiled warmly, caressing his cheek with his thumb, "Good. Now, you've had a long day, it's time for you to go to bed." He guides the man out of his seat, grabbing the container and bag along their way to the stairs.

After a quick stop to the kitchen, they arrived in the room. By the time they stepped inside, Jupiter was much calmer and dug around the drawers to find clothes to sleep in, but stopped and pulled out a shirt that definitely wasn't in there before.

Legolas saw as well and he smiled sheepishly, "I had nearly forgotten to tell you. Now that everyone knows of our courtship, Manny suggested that she move to Frodo's room while Sam sleeps in Gimli's, and I stay in yours. I hope that is alright with you..." He sounded unsure of himself.

"It's perfectly fine, darlin'. More than fine." Jupiter told him quickly, putting the shirt back and finding his own clothes. "Now I can sleep right next to you every night. I sleep better with you by my side."

Legolas was surprised. Not only because of what he said, but also because the man started stripping right in front of him. The elf immediately turned his eyes away, repeating in his head to not look over and over again despite the fact that he glanced maybe once or twice at his toned back.

After Jupiter slid on a pair of sweatpants, he glanced over at the blonde and grinned when he found him pointedly looking away with red ears. Abandoning the shirt he planned to wear, he stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth and reluctantly take his pills before returning not too long after. Legolas had taken his disappearance as an opportunity to change into a comfortable t-shirt and long gym shorts and was already in bed.

He went over to join him, slipping underneath the covers as well and draping an arm around his waist. Legolas shifted until he was facing Jupiter, a blush blooming on his face as soon as he saw his bare chest, "Um... Jupiter?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

"Does it bother you?" Jupiter smirked, "It's not like this is the first time I've slept with you with no shirt, let alone anywhere else."

"But that was different..." If possible, the coloring darkened. "It's  _distracting_."

"Well then distract yourself with somethin' else," He pulled him closer and gave him a kiss, "Tell me a story. Any story."

"A story?" Legolas repeated, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you one. You really liked the one about the ellon and elleth, so let me think of another like that."

"No, I should've been clearer, I want ya to tell me a story about  _you_."

"I think that is something that I can do." The archer said after a moment, a smile gracing his face. Warmth filled him upon hearing that Jupiter wanted to know even more about him, "Let's see... How about I tell you of the time my mother found out my tutor slapped my knuckles with a stick?"

"I'm already intrigued. Go on." Jupiter said as he gently undid the blonde braids in his hair.

"I can still remember it very clearly. The tutor was one of the most beautiful elleths in Mirkwood, her hair was so pale that in the sunlight it appeared as if it was snow and she also had the darkest green eyes I have ever seen. Everyone had thought she was flawless, but really she was dreadful. Behind closed doors she called me nasty names when I did not understand something or when I answered incorrectly. It did not take long for it all to turn physical, using a stick to strike my knuckles every time I did something she disliked."

"...I'm startin' to not like this story."

"It will get better, I promise." Legolas gave him a reassuring smile, causing his scowl to relax. "Where was I? Oh, yes, the stick. She threatened that if I told anyone, she would be merciless. I was so scared out of my wits, that I heeded to her command. She knew that I was only an elfling so she was not afraid of her king finding out. That was a mistake to think on her part, that she should fear the  _king_.

"My mother found red marks on my hands not too long after the threat and she demanded that I tell her where they came from. I ended up telling her, crying as I begged her not to tell my father in fear that my tutor would cause me more pain. She completely ignored me. She marched straight to a guard who knew where she was and followed his directions to her. The moment my mother saw her speaking with another guard, she hit her right in the face with a punch that can even rival my father's in strength."

"Holy shit, moms are the best."

Legolas grinned at the comment, nodding in agreement, "She yelled down at her, using the nastiest words I have ever heard and banished her from Mirkwood on the spot. My father managed to come in time to hold her back from punching her again when the tutor said that I deserved it. From then on, my mother tutored me and was the first to teach me how to defend myself."

"Was she always like that?" Jupiter asked curiously, beyond amused and pleased that the tutor got what was coming to her.

"Goodness, no. My mother was the kindest elleth, even I thought she would never hurt a fly. But I suppose that once a mother's child is hurt, they will go through any means to protect them..." Legolas suddenly frowned, "My mother was always willing to do that. To sacrifice anything."

"Legolas?..."

The elf laid his head on the man's bare chest, sighing softly, "I've never told you how exactly she died... Have I told you that she died? I can't be bothered to remember if I did. She... She did not deserve to die. She was much too caring, all of Mirkwood loved her dearly and although it was an honorable death, I cannot help but feel as if it were my fault. No, it  _is_  my fault."

This made Jupiter's eyebrows furrow and he paused in running his fingers through his hair, "What do you mean?"

"Mirkwood was ambushed by Orcs for the first time. Everyone was frightened, but all except mothers and their elflings fought. It was a bloody battle and it appeared that we would lose, but we somehow managed to be victorious... There were only a few Orcs left, but there was one that managed to find where my mother hid me. I should have ran, but I couldn't. I was so scared that I just could not move and my mother, she saw, and then-"

Jupiter fully gathered him in his arms as he broke down in sobs, knowing that his mother must have sacrificed herself in order to save him. He soothingly rubbed his back, gently kissing the top of his head as he felt tears drop onto his chest. His own eyes stung as he listened to his heartbreaking sobs. Jupiter has never heard or seen him cry this horribly and all he felt was boiling anger and unbearable sadness. Anger for that Orc  _ruining_  Legolas like this and sadness for Legolas having to deal with this weight on his shoulders for centuries.

"Listen to me, Legolas, 'n you listen good." His tightening throat made his voice raspy, "This is  _not_  your fuckin' fault. You were a fuckin' kid, okay? You never saw a fuckin' eight-foot tall psychopathic zombie lookin' thing before, of course you would be so scared that you couldn't move. I'm not goin' to let you just... just  _blame_  yourself for your mother's death like this!..."

Jupiter gently lifted Legolas's head up so that he was looking at him, wiping away his tears with his thumbs, "'Cause I know damn well that she doesn't blame you for it. Her sacrifice was her choice 'n I know that she doesn't regret it one bit."

The archer's bottom lip quivered, "I'm s-"

"Don't apologize. Don't you  _dare_  apologize, Legolas."

A tearful laugh left him and he sniffled, kissing the corner of his lips, "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah..." Jupiter smiled at him. Somehow the sight managed to make Legolas feel much better, "Now I think you're the one who needs sleep. Or, well, that weird meditation thing."

" _Weird_?"

"No- well- I mean it's a  _good_  weird. Hey, wait, why are you turnin' over? Are you ignorin' me?"

* * *

Legolas turned back around when he heard that his suitor's breathing has evened out. He had only been joking before when he gave Jupiter the silent treatment for his earlier comment and had started snickering when the man grumbled out an apology that he definitely did not mean. Jupiter retaliated by blowing a raspberry on his neck.

Frowning, he feathered his fingertips over Jupiter's naked chest and arm as he thought to himself deeply of when he had remained in the lab for most of the day. He was immensely relieved that Jupiter did not notice the tiny red dot on his finger or that his microscope was at a different place from where it originally was in the lab.

Legolas needs to tell Jupiter what he has discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meril-nîn: My rose
> 
> Oof I had to research so much for this chapter, I should have asked my psychology teacher some questions or looked in her DSM-5, but oh well lolololol I'll look at it when the school week starts up again.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	33. XXXIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: You should know this by now, but Google is my friend and I know nothing. Lol.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Legolas swears on  _everything_  that this was an accident.

It has been a little over five hours since Jupiter and Manny left, but before they did go to school - to which they kindly nicknamed their place of education as 'hell'...

"A couple of Jupiter's friends are coming over to babysit you guys."

Every single gaze zone in on the two best friends, all of them pausing from eating their breakfast. Gimli was the first to speak up from beside a silent Boromir and inquire, "Babysit?"

"Yeah, well, not exactly babysitting." Manny said thoughtfully, "More like... Keeping you guys company while we're gone. It was actually Jupiter's idea since the three of them are pretty close from what I've heard."

Jupiter nods as he used his fork to move cubed honeydew melon onto Legolas's plate from his own serving of fruit salad. He hates honeydew. "I wouldn't use the word close, but I trust them enough to hang out with you guys. They're good people, and Manny and I feel that we shouldn't be the only aliens you guys should talk to."

"...Wait, holy crap, we  _are_  aliens."

"I don't mind." Sam said with a small lopsided smile and the rest of the Fellowship looked at him questioningly, "What? It does get a tad lonely, even when we all have each other to talk to. Meeting someone new sounds nice."

The redhead and brunette look at each other once they heard his statement. Jupiter cleared his throat, "If any of you are uncomfortable with the idea, I can still call it off and we can forget about the whole arrangement."

No one made any objections. They all looked at each other and a silent agreement washed over the entire table. Manny clapped her hands excitedly, "Great! This is gonna be so much fun!"

"You haven't even met them, Manny, how do you know that?" Jupiter grumbled, rolling a stray blueberry around his plate with his fork, "For all you know, this could all go to shit."

"You've told me a lot about them so it's like I know them already. I really like Genna, didn't you mention she wanted to see my art? Oh! This is my chance to give her some of my old sketchbooks!"

Legolas stole the blueberry that his suitor was messing with on his plate and ate it, receiving a glare with no heat in it, "Do they know who we are?"

"No," Jupiter answered. "Same names and story. I told them that they could just chat and do whatever, play video games, maybe even go out into the city and give you all a tour."

"It  _has_  been a long time since we've done any exploring..." Merry thought aloud.

He smirked slightly and stood up, grabbing his own empty plate and going around the table to grab other plates that were clean from any food, "Hurry up, Manny. We were almost late last week because you kept eating breakfast."

"Gimme a minute, dangit, I'm only on my third plate! Besides, when did an overrated bad boy like you start caring about being late to school?"

"I still don't care. I just don't want to hear you bitching about your homeroom teacher calling you out for being late."

Soon enough everyone was done eating and they all worked together to clean the table. Just as they were finishing up, there was knocking on the door. Jupiter immediately announced that he would get it and quickly went to the door, unlocking it before swinging it open. He smirked at the couple before him, stepping aside to allow them through, "Hey, you two, come on in."

The Fellowship filed into the living room in order to meet Jupiter's friends, their interest increasing upon seeing two unknown women holding hands. They both shook Manny's hand as Jupiter introduced her to them before they all turned to the rest of the occupants in the house. The ginger-haired woman's eyes immediately blew wide, "Woah... You weren't kidding about their dedication."

Jupiter's smirk widened, "Yeah. Just call them by the name of who they're dressed as. It's easier." He stepped forward, "Guys, this is Genna and her girlfriend, Luna. Genna, Luna, these are my roommates."

Luna was the very first to approach them with a radiating grin, holding out a hand for them to shake, "It's so nice to finally meet all of you!"

"Same here." Genna only gave a friendly smile and nod towards all of them, watching her girlfriend excitedly greet each and every one of them, "So, hey, which one of you is Lance?"

Legolas, who was shaking Luna's hand, rose his head slightly towards the woman, "I am Lance. May I ask how you know my name?"

The ginger-haired girl gasped loudly, " _You're_  Lance?! Oh my goodness, Jupiter never shuts up about you, I swear! Genna's been wanting to meet you ever since she convinced him to go back to you that one night!"

"Really, Luna? Really?" Jupiter grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away with pink cheeks.

"That is news to me." Legolas told the girl in front of him, also appearing flustered by her comment.

"Wow, okay, I'm just going to leave before I die from embarrassment." He slipped his arms through the straps of his backpack, flipping his favorite hat backward before going over to Legolas in order to give him a kiss, "I'll see ya later, doll. The rest of you, be nice to Genna and Luna. Manny, I'm leaving, you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there in a second, go on ahead."

He rose a brow at her when she waved at him dismissively before rolling his eyes and giving his One one more kiss, in which Legolas returned before gently pushing him away and to the direction of the door. Everyone chorused their goodbyes as he waved at the rest of them just before leaving through the front door. Legolas sighed sadly.

As soon as the door fell shut, Manny takes a large deep breath, "Gimme a moment." She then proceeded to make her way towards the couch in order to snatch one of the small pillows that decorated it before taking another huge breath of air, slamming it onto her face, and screeching into the cushion.

The Fellowship and the guests look at each other worriedly. The people of Middle Earth was aware of Manny's...  _quirkiness_ , but this was a new behavior that they were unsure of how to react to.

Once she was finished screaming her bottled up emotions into the pillow, she dropped it back on the furniture before turning back to her friends with one of her eyes twitching violently, "The jerk forgot his own birthday.  _Again_."

"Today is Jupiter's birthday?" Pippin squeaked out, surprised, "What do you mean  _again_?"

"I have no clue. Nearly every year he forgets his own birthday and doesn't give a single crap that it is every time he realizes it! 'It's no big deal, Manny.' he says, 'I don't like gifts.' he says. He's such a party pooper! Who hates gifts?! Apparently, he does!" She ranted, mockingly using a deeper voice.

"Did... something happen that made him not like birthdays?" Genna asked curiously.

"Nope. He was literally born this way. His grandma told me that on his fifth birthday he straight-up asked her, 'Why do I have to celebrate a day that marks a year closer to my death?'. He was  _five_. Jupiter was a psycho-nerd straight out of the womb, case friggin' closed."

"Well..." Aragorn trailed off for a moment, "I cannot say that I am surprised that he said that at such a young age."

Almost immediately, everyone nodded and voiced out their agreements. Even Luna and Genna was part of the mix, and Legolas wasn't all too shocked that Jupiter said this as a child, although he wasn't very happy that this was his thought process at the age of five.

"No!" Manny shouted, "No! You guys are supposed to be agreeing with me! Y'know what, this is gonna be the year where I make him care about his birthday! Genna and Luna, you're both welcome to help and celebrate with us, I've already got it planned out." Grabbing her backpack, she copied Jupiter's action and kissed Frodo's cheek, "I'll see you guys later. Be good!"

* * *

Jupiter leaned against the hand that was pressed against his cheek as he lazily scratched down the notes from the Powerpoint in front of the classroom. He knew this shit already. He didn't even need to write anything.

Somehow, the shitty school recognized that he was extremely efficient in the science area - despite his homework habits - and allowed him to be in the highest level science classes. Math, although it was another subject he did well in, was something that he slacked in due to his lack of interest in it and his dislike for it.

He took a quick glance at the clock hung up on the wall that was five minutes behind the actual time. Just a few more minutes and he'll be joining Manny again for the day in sixth period. After going through an AP Physics class and AP Biology class in the morning, it would be nice to see his best friend again. He had seen her the period before at lunch, but still.

By the time the bell rang he was already out the door, heading towards his locker before the hallways were swarmed. Switching out his books, he caught a flash of blonde from the corner of his eye and looked over to see Isabelle and Ray talking to a couple of his teammates. He snorted seeing that his arm was wrapped around her shoulders and she was pressed to his side. Whatever their relationship is, it wasn't healthy. At all.

Jupiter closed his locker door, scowling at the fact that he'll be seeing the two of them in the class that he was going to. Entering the classroom, his gaze immediately slid over to the teacher's desk to see that she wasn't there. That's weird. The Medical Terminology teacher is a sweet woman who was remaining youthful in her sixties and never missed a day for class. She was the only teacher he liked and respected for actually making class interesting, and using creative ways to teach. There were even times where she taught him things that he did not know, which was refreshing to experience at school.

Plopping down in the seat beside Manny, who was furiously finishing up homework due after this class, he silently watched her scribble answers down. As he watched, he pulled out a pack of gum and took out a strip, unwrapping it before placing it in his mouth to chew it. Mint spreads over his tongue as he reached over to point at one certain math problem, "It's a negative."

"Thanks. I seriously need to start doing my homework at home." Manny grumbled and Jupiter almost laughed. As if that was ever going to happen.

Jupiter looked up when the bell rang just in time for Isabelle and Ray to walk in, the girl giggling from something he said to her. Thank everything good and holy that they sit at the complete other side of the class. It makes it easier to ignore them, especially with the entire classroom filled. Speaking of class... "Where the fuck is the teacher?"

Manny shrugged, tapping the eraser of her mechanical pencil against her chin, "I dunno. I think I saw her in the office before I got here, but I'm not sure if I saw right since I was panicking over homework." She wrote down the work and the answer to the last question before placing the worksheet back in her folder. As she placed the folder back in her bag, she pulled out an unopened water bottle and handed it over to him, "Here's your water. You owe me a buck-fifty."

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered as he twisted the cap open before taking a long drink.

The classroom door opened and the teacher entered with an apprehensive figure following behind her-

No one noticed over the loud chatter in the room how Manny choked on her own saliva while Jupiter turned his head to the side to spray out what little water he had in his mouth into mist in the air - he was suddenly very thankful he had the corner seat all the way in the back - and both he and Manny coughed violently.

* * *

Legolas wasn't sure how in the world he ended up in front of a large building with an even bigger parking lot in front of it.

Luna and Genna had taken them out for a tour after remaining a couple of hours at home playing video games and getting to know one another. They all had only received somewhat of a glimpse of the city, but actually being in it was overwhelming. They can all see why Manny and Jupiter didn't take them there immediately, it was a lot to take in all at once.

They all had been enjoying their time together and doing 'window shopping' as the two women had called it. They all ended up at a jewelry store when Aragorn pointed it out and the lot of them admired the craftsmanship. Then one moment he was looking down at the rings behind the glass containment, and the next moment he was looking around him in confusion with his dear friends gone.

He stepped outside to see if they were still near, but all he saw was a long sidewalk swarmed with mortals. Great.

Legolas muttered a curse that would usually come out of Jupiter's mouth, realizing too late that he should have taken his phone with him. The best course of action, for now, is to try to find them, they couldn't have gone far.

...And that's how he was entering the building in hopes of asking someone kind enough for directions back home.

Unfortunately, when he entered and came through a door with a sign labeled 'office' upon seeing people in there, a woman with a tired expression and coal black hair immediately approached him, "Are you the substitute teacher that's suppose to watch my double period class? The office just told me that you wouldn't be arriving and I was just about to find a replacement!"

"Uh... I-"

"Oh, who cares? It shouldn't matter, they must have mistaken you for someone else! Sheesh, today has been so hectic. Stacy, sweetheart, would you please give him I.D.?"

A woman with reading glasses gestured over to the clipboard on the counter as she slid over a necklace with a substitute teacher I.D. connected to it. "You're going to need to sign in-"

"There is no time for that! Come on, young man, let me show you where the classroom is and give you a quick rundown of what you'll be doing." She told him swiftly as she placed a hand on his back to guide him out of the office.

As they both quickly walk down the hallway, Legolas still had absolutely no idea what was happening. How did he even end up in this situation? Dear Valar, Aragorn and the rest of his friends are never going to let him live this down. Goodness, how was  _Jupiter_  going to react to this? He should tell the kind woman that she was mistaken. That would be for the best.

Just as he was going to open his mouth to tell her the bad news, she stopped in front of a door and twisted the knob open before walking inside first. He winced, tensing as he hesitantly followed her as loud chatter and laughter filled the room. Scanning the room, there were many teenagers around Jupiter's age sitting at desks and his face became paler when he caught two pairs of wide gold and brown eyes.

He was at Jupiter's and Manny's school.

How in the world did he end up at their  _school_?

The woman's voice boomed through the noise, clapping her hands, "Okay, guys! Quiet down!"

Voices settled and became quieter before becoming completely silent upon seeing the new occupant in the room. Legolas remained stoic, but he gulped nervously as all eyes turn to him and he nearly began to scream when he saw  _Isabelle_. Luckily, it appears that she has forgotten about him and was openly eyeing him. Just his luck.

"Everyone, I will be gone for both periods, unfortunately. I just got a call not too long ago that my son's wife is in the hospital and is getting ready to deliver my grandson." She said excitedly and quite a few students exclaimed both shock and excitement at the news. "So, this young man will be your substitute. You will all still be doing that project, so don't try anything funny and be nice to... Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

"Um..." His eyes flash over to Jupiter, who quickly mouthed his last name. "Greenleaf, my lady."

"Oh, wow, you're such a gentleman." She giggled, "Alright, guys, take out your rubric and packet while I talk to Mister Greenleaf."

As she guided him over to her desk, he sent a panicked look towards Jupiter and Manny. Manny was still frozen in her seat while Jupiter was mouthing a strong, 'What. The. Fuck?' At him. He has a lot of explaining to do...

The woman brought his attention back to her and began to explain what he was supposed to do - it was much too late for him to tell her that he was not a substitute teacher - such as attendance, how the students should be behaving, and what they should be doing. His main job was to check on each group periodically to make sure they were doing their work, including giving signatures on their packets for every section that they finish in order for him to make sure that they did it correctly to move on.

She explained that since this was Medical Terminology, the students were pretending to be nurses while he is to pretend that he is a nurse manager that approves their next course of action to their patient.

Soon enough, she was halfway out the door, "Bye, kids!"

When it slammed shut, Legolas turned back to the classroom and stiffened at the sight of all their eyes on him. Clearing his throat, he decided to just go along with this. Looking down at the clipboard, he called out the first name written on it. This continued on - only one or two students being absent so far.

"...Jupiter Holo?"

Jupiter only raised his hand. Legolas saw how he appeared to give up and go along with this train wreck, just like him.

He finished up the rest of the list, calling out Manny's name as well before saying to all of them, "Um... You can all begin with your projects. I will be walking around to keep an eye on all of you."

"Mister Greenleaf," Jupiter gritted out as he rose his hand. "I-  _Manny_  and I don't understand something on the worksheet. Can we ask you a few questions?"

Nearly every head turns to look at him strangely. Jupiter never asks the teacher questions, let alone participate in class.

Legolas nodded and eventually everyone went to their own separate places around the classroom where equipment was already set out, one person in their group being the patient and sitting on the uncomfortable looking table beds while others in the group stood around them. Jupiter and Manny walked up to him swiftly during the distraction.

"What the  _fuck_  are you doing here?!" Was the first thing that came out of Jupiter in a hushed voice.

"I have no idea." Legolas said truthfully, just as lost as he was.

"Where's everyone else? How did you even get here?" Manny asked as well.

"As I said, I have no idea." He anxiously ran his fingers through his own hair, "Lady Genna and Lady Luna brought us to the city. We had been in a jewelry shop, I was looking at all of these rings, and when I turned around they were gone. I tried finding them since I did not have my phone and I could not remember your number, but..."

"You ended up here." Jupiter sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Okay, it's fine, I can just text Genna that we have you. This actually makes school a lot more tolerable and less boring... I was also planning on skipping eighth period anyway."

"Yeah, I guess it's for the best you pretend that you're a substitute. And Jupiter, quit ditching."

"But it's English, we're practically doing nothing but reading a dumbass book in there."

"Whatever, the rest of the group is waiting for us, they need their patient before we can all start."

Jupiter huffed and kept his eyes on Legolas, "Try not to be too nervous. Barely anyone in this hell hole recognizes you and Isabelle has a shit memory when it comes to faces."

Legolas smiled warmly and he returned it. The moment was rudely interrupted by a fake-gagging Manny who grabbed Jupiter's wrist in order to drag him over to the fake bedding where two other classmates were waiting at. Luckily, their teacher assigned the both of them with classmates that actually do their work.

Jupiter blanked out as the three of them immediately got to work and pretty much just played doctor on him with real medical equipment. Unfortunately for him, the patient of the group has to do a completely different assignment, which was an essay. Jupiter kept a secretive eye on Legolas the entire time, glad to see that he was much more relaxed than before and continued his unexpected job.

He narrowed his eyes at each and every girl that made goo-goo eyes at him. Seeing Isabelle look at him suggestively did not help at all. Yeah, yeah, he knows he's being jealous and overprotective, but he can't help it. He's just glad that Legolas was pointedly avoiding Isabelle's group and only made contact with them when they needed their section signed.

Hm... He wonders how everyone would react if he kissed him in front of all of them. Jupiter smirked at the thought.

"Don't even think about it." Manny hissed as she furiously wrote on her paper.

"Whatever do you mean, Manny?"

She scoffed, "I hate you." She then picked up the pulse oximeter, "Give me your finger. We need your stupid pulse."

"Hey, for your information, this 'stupid pulse' is keeping me alive."

Just as she clasped it onto his finger, Legolas approached them and Manny immediately greeted him, "Oh, hey Le-  _Mister_  Greenleaf."

"Hello. What part are you working on now?" He asks, actually interested in what they were doing, unlike other subs that just sit on their asses and do nothing.

"We're using the pulse oximeter to measure his heart rate and oxygen saturation." A young girl said, clearly a freshman, gesturing to his finger which was being held by Manny for her to look at and record the numbers shown. "His pulse is eighty-four, which is normal."

"Interesting." Legolas said as he looked at Jupiter with a small grin, his eyes sparkling in curiosity upon learning of this device.

The first thought that popped up in Jupiter's mind was that the look on his face was fucking adorable. He never gets tired of that expression and he felt his heart stutter at the sight of the elf's sharp eyes shimmering with happiness as he connected their gazes. Even though it was unfortunate to end up here of all places, Legolas still appeared happy... Because of  _him_.

"...And the oxygen satur-" The girl was abruptly cut off by the pulse oximeter making a screeching beeping and everyone in the room jumped as they all turned to them.

The other person in the group, a senior, blinked his eyes owlishly, "What the-"

Manny turned away from her packet and back to the device. Her eyes blew wide, shouting, "Jesus Christ! How the heck did it get to a hundred and thirty-six? You-" She took a good look at his red face and deadpans, "Oh my god."

Legolas realized a little too late why his pulse was going haywire and he too began blushing furiously. "I-I... I will check on your group later."

* * *

To say that both Genna and Luna were apologetic was putting it lightly.

Luna appeared the most panicked and worried, repeating her apologies over and over while Genna looked guilty beside her. Jupiter and Manny told them it was fine, that it was an accident, and the brunette in particular teasingly stated that Legolas is a big boy and can take care of himself in the city. Soon enough, the two women left with promises that they will try to visit more often, having enjoyed their time with the Fellowship... Of course, they only said this before leaving so that they can both come back in order to surprise Jupiter with gifts once Manny gives them both the cue.

And as predicted, everyone didn't let Legolas live his earlier predicament down.

Eventually, Jupiter saved him by telling the lot that he needed to borrow the archer before sweeping him off his feet and carrying him away bridal style. Legolas had gasped and instinctively held onto the other's shirt as he was carried to the lab, "Jupiter, put me down."

"Hush, you know ya like it." Jupiter grinned at him as he went down the stairs.

Legolas didn't say anything.

Sitting him down on the chair, he pecked his lips, "Y'know, class was much more tolerable with you there."

"Is that so?" He watched as the scientist gripped the armrests of the chair, keeping himself stable as he leaned down to keep their faces close. He licked his lips and gold eyes flashed down to watch his tongue swipe over them. "I suppose it wasn't all too bad there. I've also learned something... quite interesting as well."

All too suddenly, Jupiter felt like he was the one being looked down on as his mind sped back to the pulse oximeter. "Wha- What did you learn?"

Legolas snaked his hand underneath the scientist's shirt, brushing his fingertips over his stomach before sliding his hand up until it was pressed against his chest. He smirked slightly when he felt the erratic beating underneath and he leaned up to whisper in his ear, " _This_." The elf felt the other's heart stutter and his breath hitch as he lightly grazed the lobe of his ear with his teeth.

"Don't you think this is escalatin' a tad bit too quickly? Not that I'm complainin'..."

"I beg to differ, Jupiter."

Jupiter huffed out a laugh and forced himself to pull away, "Alright, you horny elf, keep it in your pants... For now." He grinned as he went to get his notebooks, "I still have to do some research for today. Want to help out or do you want to continue with the textbooks?"

Legolas's heated mood was instantly washed away at the mention of his research. This was probably a good time to tell him... "About that..."

"Hm?"

"I found something."

Jupiter paused in his rummaging and spun back around to look at the blonde. His brows became furrowed, "What?"

"While you were at your meeting with your therapist, I may have pricked my finger and used your microscope to examine my own blood."

"...What?"

The ellon sighed deeply and walked over to the man, taking his hand in his in order to guide him over to the desk with the computer screens. He sat down, "It took me a moment, but I managed to take a picture."

Jupiter stared intently at the picture of Legolas's blood cells and his lips remained pressed in a thin line. Legolas silently handed him the very first picture of his cells that were printed out for him to compare. The redhead immediately saw the difference, "The electrical current is decreasin'."

"Yes, and I looked through your notebook." The blonde continued, "It led me to remember your discovery of how lightning is connected to it all."

"Then my hypothesis is wrong." Jupiter grumbled in displeasure, "The electricity can't be for the trip back if it's decreasin'. Weird... Maybe your body is slowly absorbin' it over time 'n waitin' for a fresh new batch that will take you back?"

"Or maybe..." Legolas looks at him worriedly, "It is a countdown."

The scientist felt himself freeze, his head slowly turning back to the computer screen. "You... you mean like a tickin' time bomb... As the electricity decreases, the time decreases, all until..."

"We're gone."

Silence enveloped the both of them. Jupiter stubbornly pushed back the fear that rushed through him and shook his head lightly, "Again, that's only a hypothesis. We can't be sure of it until we confirm that everyone else's is the same." He placed his hand on his shoulder, "It may be the closest explanation, but it's nearly impossible to confirm that you're right. 'N even if you are right, it'll be a very long time until the electricity is completely absent."

"Define a very long time."

Jupiter sighed lightly and reached over from behind him to click off the screen before turning off the computer, "Just... a long time. A lot more than I thought." He turned around the computer chair that the downcast elf was sitting on, cupping his cheek gently, "Legolas, don't worry about it so much. We don't have any idea if it's leavin' your body for that reason or it's disappearin' for no reason."

"I cannot help but worry, anyway." Legolas whispered, pressing against his hand, "The thought of leaving you without knowing when... I cannot bear it."

The redhead frowned. He took a deep breath and pulled away from him, walking over to his Bluetooth speaker to turn it on before swiftly playing the relaxing, yet powerful music that Legolas had been listening to on the day that he visited his therapist. He walked back over to Legolas, leaning down to give him a deep kiss before pushing legs apart and going down on his knees between them.

Legolas's eyes widen as the man began unbuckling his belt, "Jupiter! What are you-"

"I need you to know that no matter how much time we have left together," He unbuttoned the elf's jeans and unzipped them. "I'll use every second I got to show you how much I care about you, darlin'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter became a little longer than I expected it would be, so I'll be posting the smut scene tomorrow on Sunday at around 1:45 PM EST (Maybe slightly later depending on how long it takes to upload and be visible to everyone). So keep an eye out for it! Again, those of you who wish for it to remain Rated T don't have to read it.
> 
> By the way, my friend and I are in Med Term and we actually had this project, but with fake plastic people in nightgowns instead of real people.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	34. XXXIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

The tradition of asking one's hand in marriage for mortals on Earth is... odd.

Aragorn has already told him much about mortal traditions in marriage on Middle-Earth, and even that was bizarre to listen to. Compared to Elven marriages, mortal traditions appeared utterly absurd. Many marriages are even arranged, some of them in which the man and woman never meet until the day they are to become man and wife.

Legolas was not sure what he had been hoping for when he asked for his dear friend to tell him more about mortal marriages when the subject was brought up. It left him sufficiently surprised - speechless, even. At the time, he had known little about relationships among the race of Men, and he suspected everything to be different, but there are still things he wishes were not true.

On Earth, however, is just as perplexing.

The first day exploring Earth was when he first learned that here, too, bonding wasn't seen as 'bonding'. Some thought it to be a type of 'bonding' due to religious reasons or personal opinions, but others... not so much.

Jupiter had also told him how someone asks for another's hand in marriage. That, too, had him tilting his head and bringing more questions. Apparently, the man - or woman - who wishes to ask their significant other to marry them would kneel down on one knee and present them with a ring - nearly always a diamond, Jupiter had said - then ask the big question. The ring is called an engagement ring.

It had made him laugh. Back home, all races never went to such lengths just to ask them to take their hand in marriage, they would usually simply ask. Just asking the question itself would make the other happy, but he supposes that the ring is a bonus. Jupiter has shown him videos as an example - including failed proposals (he still feels quite bad for laughing at them) - and he could not understand why the women in the videos always cry. Marriages between Men are not all too special, for them, it is mostly just a change in title. Husband and wife, husband and husband, wife and wife.

Perhaps this was why he had been so entranced by the rings in the jewelry store. He was able to see for himself why exactly diamonds are used for the engagement rings, but not only that, he found himself... Daydreaming while looking at them.

Melancholy had curled within him at the sight of the rings as Jupiter's words echoed in his mind, and maybe even hope and excitement mixed with it. He wasn't particularly sure why he felt that way just by staring at the shimmering jewelry, but he did not plan to think about it too much.

Legolas slid his pants back on as Jupiter zipped and buttoned his own, the pointed tips of his ears an alarming red as he thought back to what the two of them have done. On Jupiter's  _lab table_. Do not misunderstand, he enjoyed it, he even wanted to do it  _again_ , but now he cannot look at the lab table or the lab itself without thinking about it.

The ellon immediately leaned back into Jupiter's embrace when arms slid around his waist. He shivered when a soft kiss was pressed against a tender spot on his neck from Jupiter's earlier abuse on it. "So whaddya say, doll? Want a taste of it more often? Ya looked like you were really enjoyin' it earlier, I'd say."

He felt his temperature rising all over again as the redhead whispered right by his ear, his breathing deepening when he felt fingers brush over his thigh before gliding up in order to zip and button his pants for him. Legolas felt a twinge of disappointment when he moved on to buckle his belt for him, but ignored it, "Well, I did not believe you when you said it would be pleasurable..."

"Mhm..."

"...It was a new experience that I do not regret trying."

"Go on..."

"And I think it would not be a bad idea if we were to explore what we both have discovered today," Legolas could just  _sense_  the grin growing on Jupiter's face, and quickly spoke again before he could say anything, "But under one condition."

"Uh oh, what is it?"

"I get to pleasure you."

"But you already-"

"No, Jupiter," Legolas turned around to face him, crossing his arms and avoiding his gaze, "I meant, to do whatever I want to you. Like you have to me." He paused, "If you are alright with it, that is."

"Yes." The scientist said right when he finished his sentence. Legolas rose a brow at him and Jupiter flushed, clearing his throat, "I mean- erm, sure. Okay. Whatever you want."

Legolas stared at him for a long moment before rolling his eyes, "I'm finding it hard to believe that I am the 'horny' one in this relationship." He completely ignored the indignant squawk from Jupiter and only smiled teasingly at him, not so subtly changing the subject, "We should go back upstairs and join the others."

"Wait, before we do, I wanna hear you say it again."

"Say what again?"

"What you said before. When I made you cuss."

Legolas pulled away from his embrace, flustered yet again, and shook his head as he turned to walk away, "Do not be ridiculous. I am not saying that again, I'm mortified that I even said it at all in front of you."

"What? You shouldn't feel like that." Jupiter said, confused as he followed him out of the lab, "You know that I cuss more than what's healthy, so I don't mind it. Besides, it's hot when you curse your ass off when you're desperate. Trust me." He smirked when Legolas ducked his head, his cheeks a light red. He drapes an arm over his shoulders and brings him closer as they walk down the hall, "Anyway, how did you know it was my birthday?"

The elf's mind flashed back to this morning and the text from Manny that he had received while dressing when Jupiter's back was turned, "I... have my ways."

Jupiter rose a suspicious brow, but said nothing else.

They both made it to the end of the hallway and Jupiter looked around with perplexity, "Where did everyone go? We weren't in the lab for that long, do you remember what time it was when we went down there?"

"You Men and your worry over time." Legolas sighed exasperatedly, wrapping his own arm around his waist and walking over to the doors that lead to the backyard. "Life would be much easier if you did not do that, my rose."

"Maybe, but that's the thing, I'm human. It's a part of us that we wish didn't exist, so you're right, I should, but I can't." He smiled slightly when he felt the blonde's skilled fingers reach beneath his shirt to brush them over his bare skin on his side. "I bet you worry over time though, too."

"Sometimes," Legolas admits. "It depends on the situation, of course, like when I am in battle."

"True..." Jupiter paused, "Where the hell are you taking me?"

"I... thought it would be nice if we went to the camp."

"Legolas, we were looking for the others."

"I know."

" _Legolas_."

" _Jupiter_."

"What are you hiding?"

Legolas remained silent, avoiding his insistent gaze and continued forward until they entered the area where the old, burnt tree trunk was-

" _Surprise!_ "

Jupiter stared at his best friend, his alien friends, and his newest friends with comically wide eyes. They all looked pretty disheveled, which was probably due to the fact that they rushed to get everything ready. All around were clusters of balloons, the number eighteen slapped on each one, tied to big, heavy rocks to keep them on the ground, nearly everyone had a party hat on - even Aragorn - and the fire was already lit.

"What the-..." He finally managed to say, glancing at Legolas, "Did you- How- What the fuck?"

"Manny had the brilliant idea of giving you a surprise birthday party!" Pippin bursts happily, "We also got you gifts!"

"I hate gifts." Jupiter said instinctively, although he was giving all of them a wide smirk. "You were in on this too, Genna? Luna?"

"Yep! We got the balloons and party hats!" Luna chirped, clasping her hands together happily.

The man opened his mouth to say that they didn't have to do all of this since he didn't care much about his birthday, but... He couldn't bring himself to do it. They all wouldn't go to such lengths for his birthday without at least caring just a tiny bit, so it was natural to feel happy that they did. Every year he felt happy that Manny and his grandmother thought that his birthday mattered...

It used to confuse him sometimes.

"Thank you, guys." He said sincerely, "This is amazing."

"...Nerd, are you tearing up?"

"What? Fuck you, no I'm not."

Genna grinned widely, "You so are."

"Fuck off, no I'm not!"

"Jupiter..." Legolas said his name as if he were talking to a child, "Yes, you are, dear."

"Shut up, I don't care what any of you say, let's just get on with this dumbass birthday party and celebrate yet another year of me living - unfortunately."

Manny pointed at him, "See! I freaking told you he says crap like that!"

* * *

Jupiter took a quick picture of Legolas in the party hat that Aragorn had forced on him. The man told his elf friend that if he was being forced to wear one, he was too. In response to this statement, Gimli - who was not wearing one along with Boromir and Jupiter - laughed boisterously, teasing the poor archer. Of course, Legolas only stared at him blankly before unexpectedly pouncing and forcing a hat on his head too. Manny and Jupiter were beyond relieved that their fights weren't from pure hate anymore, it was more of a friendly rivalry whether they realize it or not.

Manny did a great job at planning all of this in such a short time. She got his favorite cake, red velvet, a bunch of campfire snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and so on and so forth. Right now, they were all singing him happy birthday, which was embarrassing, to say the least.

Apparently, the brunette managed to teach everyone the song since when Luna randomly whipped out a guitar, they all sang it cheerfully as Genna held the lit cake. Jupiter felt slightly awkward that it was being sung to him at this age, but he smirked nonetheless, at least looking at the bright side of things like Boromir joining in on the singing - he wasn't sure whether he was forced or not, but for today he was going to pretend that their argument never happened for his own good - and that he was able to hear Legolas's singing voice again.

When the song was over, Genna held the cake in front of him, "Make a wish, dude."

"A wish?" He repeatedly bemusedly, staring at the many lit candles that were slowly melting. Just to amuse them, he closed his eyes, thought of his wish, then opened them and blew out all of the candles.

"What did you wish for, Jupiter?" Sam asks after Manny clapped and announced that she'll get the plates.

"I can't tell you, it won't come true if I say it." Jupiter chuckled at the hobbits' disgruntled expressions.

As soon as everyone got their slice of cake, they all began sharing birthday stories. Funny experiences, sad experiences, embarrassing experiences, it was nice to listen to and it was a good way to get to know everyone just a little more.

"Jupiter," Frodo spoke up. Everyone other than Jupiter had shared a short story and by that time, they all finished eating their cake and were roasting marshmallows. "If you do not mind me asking, why do you not like your birthday?"

"Well, that's... I don't think I've ever talked about this." Jupiter sighed as he twisted his stick over the flames, evenly toasting the sugary treat. "I don't think I even told any of you that I was adopted, other than Manny and Legolas."

They shook their heads and he smiled wryly, "Well, now you know. That picture of the man and woman at the end of the hallway upstairs? Those are my adoptive parents. They died a few years ago, but they were nice people. Different. My dad was the one who got me into science and shit, but anyway... When they found me, I lied to them. I told them that I just woke up there, no memory of my life or myself other than my name, age, and birthday. I mean, that was the truth, but the thing is... I woke up a few days beforehand, starving. On my birthday."

He didn't pull away the marshmallow that was slowly beginning to burn, "I tried stealing food. The guy from the food stand kicked me away and I remember dragging myself back to the same alleyway, crying. When I was laying there, I just thought to myself, what was the point? What was so important about birthdays? What made birthdays so special if things like this happen? Is it special because I was getting older? That birthday was my  _very first_  birthday to me. It was the only happiness I was able to cling on, but instead, I celebrated it while dying. So, there. That's why I don't like my birthday. That's why I 'forget' about it. Brings back bad memories and stupid shit like that."

Before anyone could even say anything - fuck, Manny was crying - he smiled at them all, "But... I think this is the first time I've ever not thought that birthday equals bad. So, thank you for doing this for me. It's nice to finally like something that I hate, even just a little bit."

Soon enough, he had two sniveling hobbits clinging to him as they blubbered about how sorry they were. Jupiter froze, watching them before looking at everyone else as if to ask what he was supposed to do. Most of them laughed tearfully and Legolas gently pried the hobbits off of him as Luna quickly wiped her eye, standing up, "I think this is the perfect time for presents."

Jupiter didn't even have time to deny the gifts before a small pile of them was presented to him. Reluctantly, he opened each one. Luna and Genna had gotten him a tuner for his ukulele and a free tattoo the next time he wanted to get another. The hobbits had gotten him a bunch of candy, Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli got him a brand new hat similar to his current one, and Manny got him a silly birthday card and new equipment for the lab that he wanted. Legolas was the only one unable to go with all of them to get him a gift.

"So, Jupiter," Manny smiled. "Who's present was the best?"

"Doesn't that question always lead to a fight?" Genna asks, amused.

"Well, I want to hear his answer, because I know mine was the best."

"What!" Merry shouted, "We got him candy! He loves candy, so he must like ours the best!"

"I find that hard to believe, he will end up eating it all." Gimli huffed, "The clothing will last for a long time, maybe even years!"

"I like Legolas's."

"-Oh, yeah? Well, I got him crap for his stupid dungeo- Huh?"

Everyone looked at Jupiter, who was calmly eating a burnt marshmallow. Legolas, too, looked at him oddly since he was one hundred percent sure that he did not give him a present. "Can you repeat that?" Aragorn asks.

"Legolas's birthday gift was the best." He smirked widely, "No one can ever top it, but I still like all of your gifts. Thank you."

"What did he give you?" Asked Luna.

"Oh..." Jupiter gave a sidelong glance toward the puzzled elf, "Well, he gave it to me in the lab."

Legolas gasped loudly, completely  _mortified_ , and he whacked the man's arm, his entire face a bright pink, " _Jupiter_!"

"What? It's the best goddamn gift I've ever gotten in my life." He grinned, turning to him and boldly placing his hand on his upper thigh, squeezing it, "What do you say about refreshing my memory of what it was like later on tonight?"

"Jupiter, not in front everyone!" He tried pushing the redhead away, but he didn't budge. It only gave the opposite effect and he ended up pressed against Jupiter's side.

Simultaneously, everyone realized that Jupiter was  _seducing_  Legolas. Luna and Genna thought it was funny, but the others... They did not know how to function once they realized. All this time they had thought their relationship was still an innocent little thing with kissing and loving gazes, but finding out so suddenly how much it really had progressed...

Manny and Aragorn coughed violently, the person right next to them slapping their backs. Aragorn highly doubts that they actually have bonded, but knowing that Legolas was- Valar, as happy as he was for them and their even closer relationship, he did not want to even imagine it. Even he and Arwen have never gone that far, and they have been together for much longer!

Jupiter snickered while Legolas grumbled how he should say those things in private, not in public.

Today has been a  _little_  crazy, but he would ask for nothing less from his friends.

* * *

_"I wish... I wish that this day never ends."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehe, now they know they do dirty things like hug and hold hands.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	35. XXXV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Oof, a lot of shit happens in this chapter.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

_Crumple, crumple._

"No."

_Rip, crumple._

"Fuck that."

_Rip, tear-_

"Fucking useless brain!" Jupiter hissed to himself, slamming his pencil onto his desk as what little patience he had quickly dwindled into nothing. He had made it clear to everyone that he did not want to be bothered for a while in his room, so without any outside disturbances, he had been going at this for a solid hour.

Jupiter was never one for creativity. His skill sets were more analytical - you can throw any math formula or scientific question and he'll have the answer ready in a matter of seconds, but creativity was not his forte. That was Manny's field, considering her interest in anything related to the arts. Of course, there are times when he applies creativity to his studies, but that is completely different to what he was trying to do right now.

He groaned in frustration and stared down at the pile of papers that were either bunched up into a ball or torn apart. Jupiter gave a resigned sigh and ruffled his own hair. Maybe he was thinking a little too much about this. Maybe he shouldn't even think at all about it, wouldn't that be easier? He  _does_  remember that time when Legolas told him that the soul has more truth to express than the mind.

Jupiter nods to himself and awakened his computer, quickly clicking a few icons before music quietly drifted through the air and he relaxed. Heavy metal and the like were a huge help, but after catching Legolas listening to classical music and other genres of the like multiple times, he ended up starting to enjoy it.

Picking up his pencil, writing again was difficult at first, but then it became a blur over the paper. Ideas and already thought-up sentences written in chicken scratch appeared on the piece of paper. He nearly snickered at one point, seeing that Legolas was right. The soul speaks more than the mind. He had just been thinking too hard about this the entire time.

He had the main parts of this completed, considering they were the same words, but it was surprisingly easy to bring together what he wanted to say differently in each line. It was a slow and tedious process, eraser shavings scattered all over the paper and his desk, lots of trial and error, and dictionary help became a part of this procedure.

"I'm missing something." Jupiter suddenly announced as he stared at the last group of words. It was strange how he managed to finish it before the beginning. It was easier to write since it expressed the most in its entirety.

Jupiter's head shot up and he looked at his door. He has an idea.

* * *

"Is there a particular reason why you forced me into your bedroom?"

Jupiter rolled his eyes as he turned away from his desk, walking back over to the older man with a sheet of paper in hand, "Okay, I know this is kinda weird, but I need your help." He hands him the paper and rubbed the back of his neck as he quickly looked away. "I... wanted to do something special for Legolas. I had the bright idea of writing some of it in Sindarin, but the only problem is that I only know the basics and suck at pronunciation."

Aragorn's eyes scanned over the words that Jupiter had transferred from his original brainstorming paper and they widen a fraction once he finished, "Jupiter, this is... This is for Legolas?"

"Yeah, it's extremely private. I haven't even told Manny what I'm doing and I tell her nearly everything. You're the only one I can trust to translate it." He paused, "But if you don't feel comfortable with it-"

"No!" The ranger blurted out, startling the fellow man. He cleared his throat and brought his voice back down, "No, it's alright, I'm just surprised since you do not appear to be the romantic type - no offense. I am honored that you trust me with this, truly. If I may ask, why are you giving Legolas a gift such as this?"

"I'll explain another time, I promise."

Aragorn nodded, "Alright. Let's translate this together, shall we?"

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk about,  _Boromir_?"

The man appeared to wince hearing the vexation that leaked through Jupiter's carefully guarded tone and expression. Legolas, who stood close by his side and had his arms folded in front of his chest, sent his partner a look. Boromir wasn't the only one who heard the way he said his name.

The meeting between the trio was surprising for both the blonde and redhead. Jupiter had just finished up with Aragorn with the translations and thanked him for the help before the ranger left. Not even two minutes later, Aragorn came back with an expressionless Legolas in tow and told him flat-out that Boromir needed to talk to them. Jupiter was not happy about this, to say the least; he still hasn't forgotten the look on Legolas's face. Fuck his own feelings, if someone hurts him in any way-

"I wanted to apologize."

For a moment the pair was stunned by his sudden statement. Jupiter, however, quickly gave him a dirty look, "Look, if everyone else is making you apologize to us, then forget it. It's not worth our time."

"Jupiter is right," Legolas agreed. His eyes were narrowed and he took a hold of Jupiter's hand, lacing their fingers together. "A forced apology is an empty one. It will have no truth and meaning, and I rather not hear lies. You've already done enough." He then began to guide them both back to the doors where everyone was discreetly supervising them - Jupiter is ninety-seven percent sure that Manny told them that they should since he's a fighter, not a peacemaker, and he couldn't blame her.

"No!" Boromir bursts, "Wait, the others have nothing to do with this. I needed to apologize for my own accord because I was too late to realize what I said was... was  _wrong_  and  _unforgivable_."

Both Legolas and Jupiter freeze at their spots, turning back around simultaneously with puzzlement. "What?..." Jupiter muttered.

A humorless laugh left the man, "I am not a hateful man. I love all of my friends dearly."

"Funny way of showing it." The ellon gave Jupiter a sharp jab in the side with his elbow when his elf ears picked up the nearly inaudible grumble.

Boromir continued on, wringing his hands, "I had been overwhelmed when we all found the truth of your relationship. I was... unreasonably angered by the fact that both you and Manny would inadvertently hurt my companions, whom I have grown close to since our arrival to Earth. Especially you, Jupiter, for I had been aware of what happens to an elf when they..." His words trailed off and he cleared his throat, "It is true that I did not agree with two men courting, but nonetheless, I should not have said those cruel words. You are my friends and regardless of my views, I should have accepted you full-heartedly like the rest."

He looks them both directly in the eye, "I've had time to think over what I said to you and each day I felt guiltier. Gimli was the one to open my eyes to how love works and my views have changed significantly. I... I know that what I just told you changes nothing, that my excuses change nothing, but all I wanted you both to know is the truth. I do not deserve forgiveness for my actions."

They were both stunned by his small speech and glanced at each other. Legolas's eyebrows furrowed, his hand slipping out of Jupiter's in order to step forward, "You speak the truth, Boromir?"

"Why would I lie?" He countered, "It took me a long while, but now I understand what it means to love, for I have nearly forgotten how to do so. That was all I wanted to tell you, so if you'll excuse me..."

Boromir began making his way back to the glass doors but was stopped by a strong hand grabbing his wrist. He turned back around and was shocked to find that it was Legolas that stopped him. The elf grasped both of his forearms firmly, telling him, "What you told Jupiter and I was painful to hear. The both of us had been skeptical, even fearful to tell you all of our courtship." He paused, "But there will be times where friends will disagree and quarrel. There will be times where we will say hurtful things that we do not mean to loved ones. And as long as you finally understand and have realized your mistakes, then you are forgiven by me."

The man's expression turned from shock to a carefully shielded expression. His lips were pressed into a thin line and there was a shine in his eyes that Legolas managed to catch in that split second. Boromir silently returned the gesture, also grasping the other's forearms. After a long moment, they stepped away, releasing each other.

Jupiter walked up to Boromir, who turned to him upon seeing movement from the corner of his eye. He couldn't quite read the redhead's expression and wasn't able to decipher what he was thinking, which made him falter. Boromir knew that Jupiter was not like Legolas when it comes to these type of situations, so he wasn't sure what to do other than wait for what he has to say. Boromir calmly looked at him once he stopped in front of him and Jupiter silently returned his gaze.

Before he could even blink, he was on the ground with his nose screaming in agony, his face receiving the echo of pain from the quick and surprisingly powerful punch he received. " _Jupiter!_ " He heard Legolas shout incredulously as he also heard the glass doors slam open, the only woman in the household saying an exasperated, "I knew it."

Just as Aragorn and Gimli were about to pull Jupiter away, they stopped when they found that Jupiter wasn't jumping in for more blows on the downed swordsman. Boromir slowly sat up, briefly seeing stars as he covered his leaking nose with his hand and looked up, only to face a withering glare as Jupiter pointed at him, his accent suddenly thickening heavily, " _That_  was for hurtin' Legolas. Do dat shit again, 'n I won't be as nice, ya hear?" He then offered a hand to him.

Boromir was obviously hesitant to take it, but took a hold of it anyway and was helped back up to his feet and steadied. By this time, his hand was soaked with red liquid and was still dripping. Jupiter completely ignored the blood - as if he  _knew_  it was going to happen - and pats his shoulder, his dialect returning to 'normal', "Took you long enough to apologize. That's all we wanted to hear, man. By the way, I'm not helping you with that nosebleed."

Boromir barked out a small laugh, "I thought so."

The hobbits were the ones to take it up to themselves to guide the dizzy, and slightly embarrassed, Boromir back inside to get cleaned up. As this happened, Manny crossed her arms at her best friend, "Jupiter."

"What?"

"That was the first time you've ever punched someone unprovoked."

Jupiter appeared to freeze, going completely rigid as he thought back to what just happened. His eyes then briefly flashed over to Legolas, who was looking over at Manny as if that was the same thought that was going through his mind as well. He scoffed, "You didn't hear shit, sweetcheeks, he pissed me off." Jupiter said before quickly following Boromir and the hobbits' lead and going back inside the house.

Gimli and Aragorn blinked, "Did Boromir really say anythin' horrible to the two of ya's again?" The dwarf asked.

Legolas shook his head, a smile itching it's way back onto his face as he thought back to the redness he saw on Jupiter's face as he quickly escaped the conversation, "No, not at all."

* * *

"Guys, I know I'm here a bit early - hey, put your clothes back on, this is not the time to fuck - anyway, I know I'm early, but I finally got the meat and potatoes done for Lance's gift."

Genna grumbled as she and a pink-faced Luna pulled their shirts back on at their couch, "Couldn't you have come here on time?"

"Don't put the blame on me for interrupting you two, you knew I was coming here,  _and_  you gave me a card and keys to your fancy-ass apartment," Jupiter smirked, not looking sorry at all. Genna rolled her eyes, karma will come back at him for being a cockblock. She just knows it.

Luna fixed her ruffled ginger hair, appearing significantly less annoyed than her girlfriend, smiling at their new friend, "You said you finished it? That's great! Let's see it, gimme, gimme!"

The redhead obediently walked over to them, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his pocket that contained his final draft and handed it to them before stepping back slightly, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. He rocked on the heels of his feet as they both sidled up close to each other and began silently reading it to themselves.

He watched as Luna's smile began to slowly drop as Genna's disgruntled face began to disappear into a blank one. Jupiter paused, shifting as he saw their expressions change drastically, "I, uh, I know it's probably bad, but it's the truth and-"

"No, this is just..." Luna shook her head slightly, "I just wasn't expecting..."

"This chorus doesn't have a lot of words, but it's still some deep fucking shit, dude," Genna told him bluntly. "And the translation for this weird ass language... If I wasn't dead inside I would tear up a little."

"I mean, it's not  _that_  deep."

"You pretty much say that you would rather die instead of not being together."

Jupiter visibly cringes, "When you put it that way you make it sound like I'm some crazy boyfriend. That part is something that he'll understand. It's something that we share and can relate about..." Even if he doesn't know that he's not the only one, he thought to himself, "What we have is something that can never be separated. To never see him - to  _hold_  him again... It's a punishment worse than death."

Luna sniffled, furiously wiping her cheeks as she stands up, "Genna, get the equipment, we are finishing this  _today_. I don't care if it takes all day and all night to finish!"

"Damn straight. We still using the recording that Jupiter made last time, too?"

"Of course."

* * *

Jupiter returned home a bit earlier than he had expected. He rubbed his eye underneath his glasses, thinking back to when he and the two women were bringing everything together, and then to when they had to do the  _actual_  fucking recording, not just the music.

They were both lying. They're both liars. He  _cannot_  sing. He fucking sucks, he has heard his singing voice before and it's shit. He doesn't care if they said that he's a good singer, it's just not true.

Oh, he didn't say what he has been planning? Well, it's really fucking obvious now what the actual fuck he was doing. He still isn't sure why he chose to make Legolas a goddamn song, it's the most cringiest shit he can ever think up of doing, but damn he would be lying if he said it wasn't something he would do in a heartbeat. He can be one romantic motherfucker, to the point where Manny will voice out her disgust for his carefully hidden, sickeningly romantic nature.

So, of course, he was going to go for something cheesy. But even he'll admit that this is the most cliche idea he has ever thought up of, but he couldn't really care about that. If there was a special way to show Legolas how he feels deep down in the dark abyss commonly called his heart, this was the way. Legolas loves music, so it would make it all the more special.

Entering the house, he saw everyone half-asleep in the living room. Legolas was the only one truly paying attention to the documentary that no doubt bored the others. He clapped his hands loudly, causing them all to jerk from their sleepy states, "Alright, guinea pigs, I know I'm late and it's almost time to go to bed, but I need more samples of your life essence. You're first, darlin', we're going the same order the first time I drew your blood."

"Why do you need more of our blood?" Sam asked curiously, "You took out quite a lot before."

"Yeah, well, Legolas found something really interesting and we need a fresh batch." He said, gesturing over to Legolas who just stopped beside him and grinning when he received a quick kiss on the cheek, "Depending on what we find, this will happen periodically. We'll be right back."

"Don't take your time down there," Manny called after them.

Jupiter rolled his eyes and they both quickly went through the hall and entered the lab. Legolas brought another chair over to the desk and sat himself down as he watched Jupiter clean up and sanitize the area before getting the tools needed for drawing blood. The man sat down with his hands washed and gloves on them before beginning the process.

"This brings back memories," Jupiter said suddenly as he watched blood slowly fill up the small tube. "Y'know, the first day with that whole physical exam, the awkward questions, suckin' your blood out with a needle..."

Legolas chuckled, shaking his head slightly, "Yes, I remember the day we first met."

"What was your first impression of me?" He asked curiously.

"How do I put this..." The elf began, "At the beginning, I thought you were rather rude, but that was mostly due to how you treat Manny. Of course, now I know that you two have a special and strange friendship, and manhandling her is nothing out of the ordinary between you two."

"Understandable." He nodded, retrieving a piece of gauze that was folded into a square in preparation of removing the needle.

"Once we arrived at your home, I began to find you even more intriguing than I did at the very beginning when I first laid my eyes on you. Despite how much you appeared to not care, you showed us all kindness and I thought to myself that perhaps you were not as you appeared to be. I was correct."

"Aw, sug', that's mighty kind of you." Jupiter smiled slightly, covering the needle with the gauze before sliding out the thin metal. Legolas immediately pressed it down for him as the other got the medical tape, securing it. "I was expectin' you to say that you didn't like me at all the first day. I wasn't ready for an answer like that."

"I may not have liked some of the actions you've taken at the time, but I don't think I can never not like you, even if I tried... Especially since I may have thought you were rather attractive when I first saw you."

Jupiter paused, and a rather stupid looking grin took place of his small smile as he whispered, "Really?"

"Yes, Jupiter." Legolas leaned forward to capture his lips briefly, "I really did. I was just too blind to discover that until much later."

"Well, then, I guess we both had similar thoughts. First thing I thought was that you were smokin'." He said as he removed his gloves and trashed them, "I still do. The only difference is that I'm not in denial anymore."

The archer laughed, "Oh, really?"

"Darlin', it would be crazy for me  _not_  to think so." He cupped the back of Legolas's neck and pulled him back forward to press their foreheads together.

Legolas took a deep breath, "Jupiter... I hate to ruin this, but it has been plaguing my mind ever since you told us all you needed more blood." The elf frowned, "Do you think that everyone else's will be the same? And if so, then what do you think will happen?"

Jupiter remained quiet as he thought over his questions, gazing into his captivating blue eyes as he went through every possibility he can think of. He, too, gave a small frown, "I'm not too sure, doll. If I were to give a guess, I think that everyone's is decreasing too 'n that it all means nothin'. It's too soon to tell, I still have to run a few tests..."

"I know, I just... Needed to hear you say it."

"...Want a kiss?"

Jupiter felt melancholy go through him as Legolas choked out a quiet, " _Please_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all knew this was going to come eventually. ;-; I hate it too, okay? I'm sad too. *sobs*
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	36. XXXVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I know the warnings say light angst, but this chapter gets pretty depressing. Grab some tissues. We all knew this was going to happen at some point.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.
> 
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

The occupants in the living room watched with concern as Legolas bounced his knee from where he sat at the seat that he and Jupiter usually share, thunder rumbling outside of the house.

It was crystal clear to everyone in the room that the elf, who was completely oblivious to the gazes directed towards him, was the most anxious about the news out of everyone. Frodo, too, appeared distressed and unhappy with the wait, but his anxiousness did not seep out of him as much as Legolas's did. However, nobody voiced out their worry, they all remained silent as the minutes stretched on endlessly.

They were all startled out of their thoughts when Legolas's head snapped up just in time for Jupiter to come walking in from the hallway, a clipboard holding the dreaded results they all had been waiting for in his hands.

Jupiter stood in front of them all, standing at the same exact spot he was at on their first night together. He did not meet any of their eyes as he flipped through the multiple pieces of paper - as if to double check something - before flipping them all back down to their original position. The scientist then briefly ran his fingers through his wild hair before addressing all of them, "Okay... So-"

"Can you just tell us already?!" Manny bursts out, wincing right after when she was given a small glare by her best friend, "Sorry... I'm just-...  _y'know_..."

He shook his head, "It's fine, don't worry about it, you're not the only one stressed out about this." Jupiter looked at the others as well, "Sorry for the wait, guys. It's just that when I got your blood and started working on it, I was able to pinpoint what exactly I should be searching with the help of my notes and it stretched on from there..."

Once he finished his statement, Legolas watched as his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly and suddenly, he had the desire to leave the room in order to not hear the results.

"I got good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Bad." Pippin said almost immediately and Merry nodded his agreement.

Jupiter didn't even glance over at them, his gaze remained on the blonde, "Sorry, but I wasn't talking to you two. I was talking to Legolas."

Legolas tensed slightly and looked down, contemplating which one he should choose. Jupiter appeared just as shaken up as he did both physically and emotionally, so whatever the bad news was... "Good news, first."

The redhead appeared relieved that he chose that. Jupiter adjusts his glasses, "Alright, good news it is. Good news is that with the help of Legolas, we found out that the electrical current running through you all is decreasing and it's nothing life-threatening. All of you should be comple-" Strangely enough, he flinched when there was another roll of thunder. He took a deep breath, "Completely healthy."

"The bad news?" Sam inquired after he was finished.

Jupiter stared at the hobbit for a moment before shaking his head, "Um... Right." He quickly looked down, "Bad news is... Is that I fucking figured all of this shit out. For real this time. Legolas... You were right."

Silence enveloped the entire room for what felt like hours after this statement. No one made a noise, breathed, or even blinked. Legolas was the first to speak up, his shaky voice barely a whisper, " _What_?"

"This is good news, isn't it? We- we get to go home." Pippin said, his voice an octave higher. It was easy to tell that he was trying to convince himself that it was good news, and it was supposed to be, yet everyone did not look entirely pleased with the news.

"That's the thing, Pip." Merry sniffled, "We would be returning home, back to our journey,  _without_  Jupiter and Manny."

"Merry's right." Gimli said stiffly, "They fed us, gave us a place to rest and bathe, helped the lot of us even though we were a bunch of filthy lookin' travelers, and did other selfless acts. They became friends dear to us all. Now, it's even more difficult for us to just up and leave wit' no chance in returnin' - some more than others."

"Got that fucking right." Jupiter muttered, dropping the clipboard on the coffee table. He gestured toward it, "Take a look at it as I explain everything. I don't give a shit anymore."

Unsurprisingly, Legolas was the first to snatch it up and skim through the papers with furrowed brows as Jupiter began, "So after I got all of your blood and triple checked the amount of electrical current, something weird happened. I was... I was preparing to do additional observations. Out of nowhere, I'm sure you all heard it, the storm got extremely violent and right before my freaky piss-colored eyes, about an eighth of the blood in each tube just disappeared. Poof! Fucking phased away like Houdini."

"The TV." Manny's eyes widen a fraction, "My apartment blacked out right when the storm that night got really bad, and that's when everyone fell out."

"Exactly. Now, my original theory was that the storm was used to store electrical energy throughout each and every one of you, just enough for when the time comes, you're able to use it all up for the trip back. I was wrong, though. After I finally processed what the fuck just happened, I examined the blood again. Before, there were either cells that had full electrical currents, a portion of the original, or none at all. Looking at it a second time, there were a lot fewer cells that had none compared to before. After some trial and error, it's easy to figure out that the storm may have triggered the uncharged cells to magic away to who knows where."

Legolas stumbled upon the page with pictures, titles on top of each image in order to decipher between the two, and just as Jupiter said, there were fewer uncharged cells after a portion of the samples disappeared. "So every second that passes... We are fading away?"

"Not... really. This is only happening with your blood cells, so internally, yes, you're slowly fading. Externally, you look completely normal. What I'm assuming, since at this point I'm convinced magic has a huge part in this, is that once every single charged blood cell becomes a dud..." His sentence trailed off.

"Do you know how long we have?..." Frodo asked, unwilling to hear the answer, but knowing he needed to.

Jupiter fiddled with the sleeve of his hoodie, "I don't exactly have enough data to be able to calculate the most accurate estimate, mine is probably extremely off and-"

" _Damn it_ , Jupiter, just tell us." Legolas snapped, the clipboard clenched tightly in his hands.

The redhead's eyes remained downward, looking completely and utterly defeat, his throat tightening so terribly that his voice came out strained...

"Around four months."

A choked sob spilled out of Manny. Her hand slapped over her mouth in hopes of muffling her cries as she shot up from where she sat and rushed off towards the hallway. "Wait, Amanda!" Frodo, who was also in tears, followed after her immediately. Their running steps soon faded away until the echo of a door slamming shut reached them.

Jupiter did not appear surprised. He glanced over at the hall just like everyone did as well with concern clear in his eyes, but he pushed it back in order to resume what he was saying. Frodo will take care of her. "If we're lucky enough, all of you will return right back to where you left off when the movie got cut off during the blackout and, um... you all sh-should be able to- erm... you- I-  _Fuck_ , I need some air."

In a similar manner to Manny, he fled the room and sped straight towards the front door, grabbing his car keys and flipping his hood.

It wasn't long after the front door slammed shut did the clipboard from Legolas's limp hands clatter onto the floor as he stared ahead of him, petrified as those three words echoed around his mind in a hauntingly sinister mantra. Four months... Four months sounded as if it was a long while, but it was not long enough. Not even a year or a few years were long enough.

"-las? Legolas, are you alright?"

He snaps his head over towards Aragorn, who was calling his name and shaking his shoulder. His eyes widen in realization, "I- Jupiter. I-I have to go to Jupiter!"

Boromir stood up as he hurried away, "Legolas, wait-"

The front door slammed shut again.

* * *

Jupiter ripped off his hood and glasses as soon as he got inside the car, sliding into the backseats rather than the driver's since he wasn't planning on going anywhere. His breath came out in harsh pants as he grabbed handfuls of his crimson hair. He didn't know what to do. When he had been standing there after dropping the bomb of how much time they had left, he suddenly felt small again. Useless. He couldn't do  _anything_ , and even if he was able to, he couldn't meddle with it.

He repeatedly slammed his fists onto the back of the driver seat aggressively, an enraged scream leaving him. His chest heaved visibly as his rough pants shook along with the rest of his body. Why can't this just be a dream? Why couldn't they find out about this until later? He was  _not_  ready for all of this new information.

Jupiter jumped when the door on the other side of him swung open before a figure quickly came inside to avoid the rain as fast as possible, shutting it behind them. Legolas breathed out a sigh of relief upon seeing Jupiter and quickly scooted closer, but it took the other a moment for him to move as well until they were both reaching out for each other before embracing.

"Legolas... Shit, doll, I shouldn't have left you inside, I'm so sorry-"

"Shh, do not fret, my rose." Legolas stroked his damp hair, kissing his temple as the arms around his waist tightened and pulled him closer, "I understand, it's alright, do not worry... E-Everything will be okay."

The ellon bit his lip as his vision clouded when he caught sight of his suitor's bottom lip trembling. Jupiter buried his face into the crook of his neck before tears finally spilled from his eyes. It was just as painful to see him cry as the very first time, if not worse. Liquid trickled down his own cheeks, finally letting out an audible whimper as they both wept into each other's arms.

Jupiter, still crying, lifted his head back up after a minute in order to press their foreheads together. He gently wiped away the ellon's tears despite the fact that more were already falling down, "We're gonna get through this together, alright, darlin'? Everythin's real shitty right now, I know, and it don't seem like we won't be able to push through this but we  _can_  and we  _will_. Like you said, everythin's gonna be just fine, alright?"

Legolas nodded vigorously and a hard kiss was quickly pressed against his lips before Jupiter pulled away, guiding him forward as he himself leaned back until he laid on the backseats with the blond laying on top of him. This time, he was the one stroking and kissing his hair as Legolas continued to cry, all until he ran out of tears.

When all that was left were sniffles, Jupiter whispered, "Got it all out?" He felt him nod against his chest. "Good... It breaks my heart seein' you like this."

A humorless laugh left him harshly, "You are not the only one." His eyes fluttered shut when fingers carded through his pale blonde locks, "What are we to do, Jupiter? With what time we have left..."

"We keep livin' as we have been. Nothin' changes." Jupiter says firmly.

"Yes, we... We shall enjoy every second as much as we can. It would not be healthy for either of us to constantly brood over this, it would only cause more pain."

"Exactly." Jupiter paused, "Legolas... I... I wanna tell you everythin' that happened. The letters, my parents, everythin'."

Legolas lifts his head up in order to properly look at him, surprise clear in his gaze, "Are you- Are you sure? You do not have to tell me, I am alright with-"

"I'm ready now, doll, no more worryin', just listen." He said, guiding him back down and resuming his tender caresses. "Now where do I start?... Well, you know that I was adopted after being found in an alleyway... So I'll go straight to when the crash happened."

* * *

_"Hey, stop changing the radio!"_

_"Why not? No one wants to listen to your crappy rock music, Lynx."_

_"Well, it's_ my _car, so it's_ my _radio, Robin- Ow! Hey, stop hitting me, that hurts!"_

_"You are such a drama queen!"_

_"Jupiter, will you please tell your mother I'm not a drama queen? She's the insane one in this family!"_

_I did not bother looking up from the small text of my newly acquired textbook and neither did my expression change during this bickering. This was a common occurrence between the married couple, considering how many little things they don't have in common. One of which, being tastes in music. I calmly flip to the next page as I drawled out boredly, "This whole damn family is a train wreck, Dad, so don't you dare drag me into you two's lil' fight. You know what happened last time."_

_My father blanches at me through the rear view mirror, his dark brown eyes comically wide, "Did you just cuss? Honey, our son just cussed! Jupiter, what did I tell you about cussing? You can't cuss!-"_

_"Oh. My. God!" My mother visibly rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her seat, drawing out the words to emphasize her irritation, "Will you shut the fuck up?!"_

_This time, Lynx gasped loudly, telling his wife tearfully, "That was_ mean _, sweetiekins."_

_The woman huffed, blowing away some wildly curly hair out of her face while looking straight ahead. I mentally counted down from five before I heard a quiet, "...'m sorry."_

_I cringed when I heard my dad say, suddenly happy again, "Aww, it's alright, sunshine." And then the sound of them giving each other a kiss._

_"Gross. Stop kissin' each other 'n pay attention to the road." I said._

_Lynx only laughed, "Don't worry 'bout a thing, kiddo, I'm an excellent driver."_

_"Keep tellin' yourself that."_

_Robin barked out a laugh after hearing me, "Oh, yeah, he's definitely a mama's boy."_

_"...No I'm not."_

_"Keep telling yourself that."_

_I snapped my eyes up and away from the diagram I was scrutinizing in order to glare at the woman who had turned her body to look at me with a shit-eating grin. She just continued staring at me like that... It was creepy. As if that was anything new, she always had these moments where she would stare at me, as if she was trying to get a rise out of me. Sadly, it works almost every time. I scoffed as I returned my gaze to my book, flipping the page again, "Dad's right, you are insane."_

_"Oh, why you lil'-"_

_"Hey, hey, hey, I was only joking about that before." Lynx reprimanded, "Remember, each and every one of us in this family have an equal amount of madness. Anyway, you guys excited for this vacation? It's been a while since we all had a road trip and a little adventure along the way."_

_"Yeah, I've been wanting to go to the Sierra Nevadas for a long time now." Robin says, "Go hiking, get some nice clean air... Hey, we should go see that waterfall, too. Maybe we can-"_

_"Robin, we are_ not _jumping into a waterfall. That is the last time I'm going to tell you this."_

_"Oh, c'mon, you're no fun! We're still young 'n spry, a little danger won't hurt."_

_"Sweetiekins, please do not say that in front of our one and only child."_

_"We'll be seeing Mount Whitney too, right?" I, said child, cut into the conversation, "By elevation, it's the highest Californian mountain summit. Not many plants grow there either, but there is one I wanna find that's called the polemonium eximium 'n then I'll preserve it in resin."_

_"Is that a plant? What is it exactly?"_

_Robin groaned obnoxiously, her good mood visibly disappearing again as we stopped at a red light. I completely ignored her reaction to her husband's question and went off on a long tangent about the plant. Dad enjoyed how much I knew about so many things and always encouraged me to share new things I've learned, but Mama... Not so much. She finds it boring._

_"...Anyway, how long until we get there?"_

_"In a few hours. The highway is up ahead and it should be smooth sailing from there if we're lucky." Mama said, looking at the GPS, relieved that I was finished._

_"Hun, this is California, there is never smooth sail-"_

_A horn blared right before the car jerked violently. I felt weightless for a split second before the world spun out of control. Each time I slammed back into my seat or in the car door, an explosion of pain racked through me. The screech of glass shattering filled my ears along with the crushing of metal until everything stopped._

_I coughed as smoke filled my lungs and I force my eyes open upon hearing pain-filled groans and wet coughs. I wish I hadn't..._

_My father sat in his seat with a thick steel rod protruding out of his stomach, his unfocused eyes turning to my mother, "Ro-... Robin..." She was heavily wounded, having taken most of the impact from the hit. Her limbs were completely limp and the only thing she was able to move was her bloody head, which was scattered with shards of glass. Broken bones poked through her skin both in her arms and legs, and burning bile began working it's way up my esophagus at the sight._

_"Mama... Dad?" I whimpered out weakly and quietly._

_"It was so beautiful..." Mama said with a blissful smile, her words slurring as her eyes went out of focus, "I saw you, Jupiter. I know I did. With the most bright person I have ever seen... Dancing..." She painfully turned her head to look at me. "You looked so happy and in love. I'm so glad... I'm so glad that you'll meet that special person one day."_

_"Me too... I saw it, too..." Dad sobbed out painfully, "The one who will love you unconditionally forever. Go find them, Jupiter. Don't let us get in the way of that. Find true happiness, like we did." No... No, what are they saying? Why are they saying all of this out of nowhere? They're telling me all of this as if-_

_Lynx shakily reached out to hold Robin's limp hand, tears streaming down both of their faces. "We aren't leaving you, Jupiter, okay? Our bodies may be gone, but_ we  _won't."_

_"You're real special, kid. Don't ever change, alright? I never told ya this, but I love you. Even when you're-" Mama coughs violently and blood drips out of the corner of her mouth. My eyes trail down to her chest and a heavy sob left me at the sight of a large shard of glass wedged into the right side of her chest, "Y-You're an annoying piece of shit, I love ya. We both do."_

_"We-..." I turn to dad, whose blood was still trickling out of his body, "We love-"_

_I stared on in horror. His eyes were half open, but it was as clear as day. He was dead. I looked at my mother and she too matched his expression. Even when they were no longer breathing... They looked so eerily happy._

_Pitiful sounds left me as my ears rang, my eyes blurring even more as I reached out with a trembling hand towards my mother, who's dull and empty gaze stared back at me steadily. I went rigid when the wrecked car rocked and I looked at the windshield that had nothing but a gigantic hole, my breathes ceasing when I saw only a large body of water ahead._

_We-_ I _was dangling from the edge of a bridge above water._

_A yelp left me when the car slipped for a moment before the wheels presumably caught onto the edge. I remained frozen, knowing that the slightest movement will trigger it to fully tip over. In the silence of the vehicle, I heard nothing but the pounding of my own heart in my ears._

_My body began shaking even more when I heard a sharp crack._ _Even... even if I'm completely still, the bridge won't be able to handle the weight of the ca-_

_I screamed as the concrete that the back wheels were clinging on began breaking, causing the car to turn completely verticle. My rough pants were completely covered up by my hysterical sobbing as I desperately pressed the button of the seatbelt. It's inevitable that this car was going to fall. No one will be able to save me from what happens next, I already know it._

_I still have no idea what my parents were talking about before they died, but if their last wish is for me to keep living, I'm going to try even though all I wanted to do was share their fate._

_Just as I finally released myself from the belt, there was another loud crack before I felt my stomach drop along with the car. For a moment I was floating, my head slamming into something hard before the vehicle finally hit the water head first. Taking a big gulp of air as the inside of the car quickly filled with water, I forced myself to go through the broken windshield._

_For a moment I managed to paddle my way up a couple of feet before it appeared as if I was sinking. I panicked, flailing my arms and legs, dread filling my entire being as I realized something..._

_I couldn't swim._

* * *

"I still remember their faces after the car went into the water... The water was pink and filthy, and it only showed me what their wounds really looked like." Jupiter choked out, "I had no clue what they fuckin' meant, I  _never_  knew what they meant when they were talkin' about love 'n shit. Always tellin' me that maybe one day I'll find someone extra special like they did with each other, but they always had this lil' look in their eyes like there was some secret they were keepin' from me..."

"And then the letters began."

"Yeah, I- After everything that happened, I stayed with my grandma. I was in denial, not believin' a single word my parents told me. I convinced myself that they were just hallucinatin' before they died, but then I kept gettin' this fuckin' dream whenever I didn't have nightmares where I would be dancin' with someone, but I could never remember their face when I woke up. I knew that that was what my parents saw before they died, the 'vision', but I still thought it was some psychological bullshit my brain whipped up 'n slapped into my dreams. After a while, I asked the hag if she believed in visions 'n shit like that... But she didn't even answer my question. She just told me what happened in my dream word for word,  _exactly_."

An empty laugh spilled out of his mouth, "How was that possible? I still have no fuckin' clue. After she said that, she just walked away 'n whenever I would bring it up, she would either ignore me or change the subject. It took me a while to calm down after that - since I was, y'know, pissed - but once I did, I thought, 'fuck it'. That's when I started writin' letters... Mostly to keep me sane at the time. It later came to the point where I was dead set on findin' the person in that dream."

Jupiter looked down at Legolas, cupping his cheek gently, "I kept thinkin' to myself, whoever this person was...  _If_  they're real... They're probably worth waitin' 'n livin' for, 'n I was right." A shaky smile lifted onto his face, "The night before the day I got kidnapped, I saw the person's face. They had the most stunnin' blue eyes, soft blonde hair, 'n their smile was so damn sunny, I didn't know what to do with myself. Real shockin' findin' out the guy I've been crushin' on is my One."

Legolas allowed all of this to sink in, stunned by the unexpected information thrown at him, "...How long have you been looking for me?"

"I lost my parents when I was thirteen. It's been nearly five years."

His breath hitched, "That is..."

"A long time for a human's standards?"

"Yes." He shook his head, "I do not know what to say other than that I share your pain. I have lost many people that I love dearly as well, be it family, friend, or allies... I now understand why exactly you've kept this hidden and even though I was unable to be there for you back then, I will now. I always will."

"Legolas, you've already been there for me when I was at my worst." Jupiter chuckled lightly, "Even if you weren't actually there. Those letters... It felt as if I was talkin' to you whenever I wrote one 'n they've helped me get better little by little. They kept me rooted 'n, yeah, I was still one depressed motherfucker, but it was better than nothin'. Even just... the thought of you being somewhere out there was enough to make me happy."

The blonde leaned up, kissing away the single tear droplet that managed to escape. Jupiter dearly hoped that that was the very last one as he was kissed properly before they pressed their foreheads together, "Thank you, for telling me this."

"You deserved to know."

The two of them shared a short minute of silence. "I feel as if I am crying, but it appears that I have run out of tears," Legolas whispered.

"I wish I could say the same." Jupiter muttered, quickly wiping away the remaining dampness on his face. Can he stop crying already? He's done enough of that already and now he's exhausted.

"Say, Jupiter?"

"Hm?"

"What would you say if I told you that I wish for us to be wed?"

He instantly felt the man stiffen beneath him before he was abruptly pulled up with the scientist as he sat up, his wide gold eyes staring at him in shock, the solemn atmosphere completely disintegrating, "What did you just say?"

"I..." Legolas looked down, clearing his throat as his heart banged against his ribcage intensely, the courage he had worked up to ask the question quickly fading. He wrung his hands in his lap, saying softly, "I want to marry you, Jupiter. Not... Not straight away, of course, but one day."

"Let me get this straight," Jupiter said slowly as he gripped onto the other's shoulders, still unsure if his ears were deceiving him, "Are you... Are you proposin' to me? Like the  _elf_  way? And if you are, please don't tell me you're askin' me because of the whole four-month thing."

"No, it is not because of that!" The elf sounded incredulous, although he can understand why he would think as such, "I have been thinking about it for a very long time and I know that it is much too soon, but haven't we always done things 'too soon'? Time has nothing to do with this, I just... I just don't care anymore, I cannot keep it within me any longer." Determination became clear in his voice, "Even if we had all the time in the world, I  _still_  would ask you right this second."

"But, how can we get married that way? We're not in Middle Earth, Legolas, isn't there a process we have to go through in order to-"

"As I said, I don't care about that." Legolas said, taking his hands in his, "Damn the ceremony, damn tradition,  _damn_  everything! Yes, it would be a shame to not receive the blessing of the Valar, but who's to say we cannot marry without those things?"

Jupiter has never seen Legolas so dead set on a decision before. He has clearly thought about this extensively and it didn't look like he was changing his mind any time soon. So... He gave him his answer.

"Okay..." He nodded, grinning, "Let's fucking do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a lot of crying and death in one chapter... Ugghhh I want to cryyy, I'm so sorrryyyy D:
> 
> Once again, sorry for the extremely late update! I was pretty tired while writing this and kept dozing off, then again, I'm always tired. Even so, I hope this chapter was fine, I felt like I could have done better and I missed a couple of things, but it's no worries. If I did miss something, I'll just somehow add it to the next chapter.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	37. XXXVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so my friend - who reads this story - didn't know what I imagined Jupiter's accent to be like and I showed her a video of a guy with his accent and got her stamp of approval lol.
> 
> I realized that none of you really know what Jupiter's accent sounds like either, so there's a video on the same chapter as this one on Wattpad. My account is SugoiPommy so if you're curious about what I imagined his dialect to sound like exactly, then it's recommended you take a peak. :D
> 
> ...Okay that's all I wanted to say. XD
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

The news that was discovered hit every single individual in the household hard; some more than others.

It became a silent, unanimous agreement to not mention it again unless it is Jupiter bringing more findings to their attention. They all were aware that it was not healthy at all to completely ignore their inevitable departure, the approximate time approaching at a steady, nervewracking rate. However, it was for the best if they do so, or else they would spend every day fretting over it.

Good thing Jupiter is amazing at completely ignoring everything.

...Too bad that he still had something else to worry about.

Manny cheered, clapping her hands excitedly after opening the freezer. Lately, the temperature has been heating back up and during a trip to the supermarket, she snagged a box of Pop-Ice and she has been periodically checking if they were frozen since last night. Grabbing a handful - all for herself, of course - she skipped out of the kitchen happily. While everyone is training outside in the warm weather, she planned on enjoying her cool snack within the confinements of her new room and binge on Youtube videos. Hm... Maybe once she's finished, she'll bring some out for the boys to eat, too.

She grumbled as her bra straps from underneath her tank top fell limply off her shoulders, adjusting them for the fifth time that afternoon. It has been way too long since she went braless and the urge to take it off right that second was potent. Screw it, she'll do it later tonight, Frodo will just have to deal with the embarrassment, she wants to be  _free_.

Stepping into the living room, she paused at the sight of a prone body sprawled out on the middle of the floor. The brunette blinked slowly as she tip-toed towards the mass until she was right next to it before poking it with her toes. Her brows rose when she got a groan in response, "Jupiter... What are you doing?"

"Just leave me alone." Came his muffled reply, "Lemme become one with the floor and escape life."

" _Okay_..." Manny drawled out, slightly put off by his... odd behavior. "Will a Pop-Ice make you feel better?"

"...Is there cherry?"

She snorted when his head lifted up slightly with interest as he asked this question and dropped the flavored treat on his head. He barely seemed to notice, only grabbing it after a moment, rolling over in order to sit up, tearing the plastic off with his teeth, and calmly eating it. "So, what's got you suddenly hating life?"

"Oh, y'know, just thinking about the gigantic dent that's about to appear in my bank account."

"What? Don't tell me you're really going to buy that high tech stuff for your lab."

"No," He wished, but what he was planning was much more important than some lab equipment. He sighed as he stood, "Since you stopped me from wallowing in my own despair, it's time for me to suck it up. It's not even a  _huge_  dent, anyway, I think I just caught your drama-queen-itis, is all." With that said, Jupiter left and headed out to the backyard, completely disregarding the indignant shouts from behind him.

His eyes immediately zeroed in on his partner tending to his bow and arrows on the bench swing with a concentrated expression. The redhead watched for a moment, the corner of his mouth twitching up at the sight, "Hey, there." He said, announcing his presence as he came closer.

Legolas looked up and his entire face lit up, "Jupiter- Mmph!"

They ignored the light clatter of the arrow that slid out of his hand, allowing his head to be tilted up by the hand that was grasping the back of his neck. Temptation ate away at him as he reached up, his fingertips feathering over the edge of the man's shirt before sliding them underneath. Legolas grinned through the kiss as he felt a shiver beneath his touch.

As Jupiter made to break the kiss, he caught the elf's bottom lip between his teeth briefly. Legolas's eyes fluttered open again, his breathing slightly heavier than usual, "Well, that was a pleasant surprise."

"I aim to please." He smirked, sliding his hand to his cheek and caressing it, "I  _would_  have us continue this inside, but it looks like you're busy 'n I gotta run a few errands."

"How long?"

"A while." His smirk faltered and he leaned down again to give him a chaste kiss. They were both still sensitive about what happened, unsurprisingly, "You want anythin' while I'm out?"

"...You."

Jupiter laughed, shaking his head slightly, "Yeah, I want me, too. Anyway, if you think of somethin', text or call me. I'll try to be quick, 'kay?"

He received a quick nod before Legolas leaned up to capture his lips once more.

* * *

Okay, so he may have been lying a little bit to Manny. He wasn't worried about money at all, he was a lot more worried about the  _reason_  why he was buying expensive shit, which was another date with Legolas. Everyone else was going to come along as well so they, too, can have their fun, but Jupiter will make sure that he and Legolas have alone time together.

He wanted this date to be more special than usual, which was why he was going a little over the top by going to the mall and trying on a bunch of clothes for it. Unlike everyone else, he did not have a vast variety of clothes that weren't dark colors. In fact, he thinks the only light color clothing he has is one t-shirt and his tie-dye hoodie.

Rejecting the help of an employee of the store, he grabbed another piece of clothing that caught his eye. He had a decent pile draped over his arm and decided that it was time to actually try them on before he had a pile of clothes towering over him.

Once he was in the changing room, he was extremely disappointed to find that almost none of them looked right on him. The most disappointing was the green one, which he - for some reason - thought would look alright on him because of the shade. Of course, in the end, it still looked like Christmas was barfed on him and he instantly tugged the outfit off when he saw himself in the mirror.

The second to last outfit, however... Surprisingly looked amazing on him. He was so startled that he even took off his glasses to see if he was seeing things and sighed in relief. He didn't expect to find one this great on his first pile, so he settled with it. Hopefully, Legolas will think that it looks nice on him.

Jupiter ruffled his own hair as soon as he stripped the clothes off and kinda just... stared at himself in the mirror. "Hm..." Maybe he should send a picture of himself to Legolas? Oh, the thoughts that were going through his head was definitely terrible as he grabbed his phone and opened up its camera, pointing it at the reflective glass.

This was the first time he has ever sent, let alone thought about, a  _special_  picture.

He didn't think about his pose too much, he just stuck his hand in his boxers and snapped the picture. Afterward, he looked at it and was kinda impressed with himself. Depending on Legolas's reaction, he might send a  _lot_  more special pictures. He pulled the messages up, selected the photo, and his thumb hovered over the send button.

Jupiter nearly groaned in irritation. Dammit, now he feels  _embarrassed_. It's not like they haven't seen each other naked before, so this was nothing compared to all of that. But, still, what was Legolas going to think? Will he like it? Hate it?

Gross, why is he being so insecure?

With a huff, he sent it and put down his phone. He still has a lot more shopping to do.

* * *

Legolas boredly browsed through the books on Jupiter's bookshelf. He was currently taking a break from training, finding solace in his and Jupiter's bedroom in order to relax and escape from any noise. It was difficult trying to find something to occupy himself because back in Middle-Earth, he usually either did not have the time or did not need to distract himself.

He settled on a novel written by one of Jupiter's favorite authors, Stephen King. Legolas had been skeptical when he was handed a book titled,  _Misery_ , but he ended up being unable to put it down. That day had been rainy and every individual in the household decided it would be a lazy day, so the scientist had grabbed an extra blanket at some point, sat against the headboard of the bed, and pulled the elf towards him to envelop him in his warmth, wrapping the both of them in the blanket.

Falling back onto the bed, he started reading. He wondered if Carrie was the antagonist in this story as well.

Mirkwood's prince stopped reading when his phone vibrated and notified that he received a text. Memorizing the page number, he set the book down and took the device out to see on the front screen that it was a message from Jupiter. Or more specifically, a picture message.

With a few taps, he opened the app icon and promptly turned an alarming red.

Wha- Why was Jupiter sending a picture like this?! He's not complaining, but- Wow, he cannot deny that Jupiter looks utterly erotic.

He shifted as he stared at the tantalizing photo with half-lidded eyes, typing his reply.

 _"You tempt me, my Jupiter. I dearly hope you_ _can show me more of you once you return."_

* * *

Jupiter spun around when he tried opening his car door before it was slammed shut by a foot kicking into it.

What he was definitely not expecting was a sharp punch that sunk into his cheek and hands grabbing the collar of his shirt, slamming him against his car roughly. He blinked owlishly, the hit stunning him for a split second as black spots briefly appeared in his vision. Once his eyes focused again, they narrowed into a glower at the person who attacked him, "Should have fucking known you were gonna jump me like a pussy again."

He was slammed onto his own car again, "Shut up! I don't need to hear any of that shit right now. All I want to know is what you did to Bell!"

"What did she tell you? If this is about me telling her that I'm gay when she was in denial, then piss off, Ray."

"You made her  _cry_ , dickhead!" Ray gritted out, "I should beat the shit out of you, she  _told_  me to, but this is going to be a warning, Holo. I love Bell, okay? Obviously not in a brotherly way, it's been like that since the beginning, but the thing is, even though she only fucks me to forget about her issues, she still loves  _you_  for some reason. You want to know  _why_  she's been a bitch to you? She fucked me at that party because she needed a goddamn distraction. She told you when you broke up with her that you'd never want to kiss her, and never went past that. She knows she fucked up, she hates herself for it and I'm the only one who's there for her."

Jupiter looked dubious, "Are you implying that I should  _get back with her_?"

"I don't know, what the hell do  _you_  think? I'm just warning you, faggot, you make her cry again and you'll regret it." With that said, he let go of him.

The redhead scoffed, rubbing his sore cheek, "You know that half of what you said is bullshit, right? Yeah, I believe that some part of her regrets it and I believe the reason of  _why_  she did it, but..."

He smoothed out his ruffled clothes, "The both of you are naive. I don't know about you, but I know for a fact that Isabelle has no idea what love really is. Whatever Isabelle is feeling, it definitely isn't love - or else, no matter what, she would have never done what she did. She would have told me face to face what was bothering her. You two are nothing but children having a hissy fit over not getting what you want."

Jupiter opened his door and this time, it wasn't kicked closed by Ray again. He paused, looking at Ray over his shoulder and telling him flatly, "And just ask her out already. It's obvious you like her a lot, so just do it. Maybe it'll get her off my back and she'll stop fucking crying over me."

Jupiter then went inside his car before starting it, pulling out of the parking lot, and heading home.

His mind remained relatively blank throughout the entire drive. It wasn't until he parked his car at home did he register the dull throb and sting of his cheek, cursing when he glanced in the mirror. It was already beginning to bruise and there was a long cut that had crusted over with dry blood, surely caused by the stupid ring that Ray always wears.

Exiting the car with two bags, he entered the house and made a b-line to his room. He was relieved to find that Legolas wasn't there, he didn't want him to worry over a little bruise and cut. Jupiter swiftly hid the bags before entering the bathroom, opening the cabinet to retrieve the first-aid kit.

He opened it up and was just about to get started on cleaning it up when he heard a gasp. His head snapped towards the doorway, gold clashing with blue, "Hey, Legolas." He tried saying happily, although it came out strained considering the look on the elf's face.

"What happened?" Legolas asked quickly as he came closer, taking the supplies away from him in order to do it himself.

"Got punched. The guy had a ring on so it cut me pretty good, it's nothin' to worry about."

"Idiot, I have every right to be worried!" He said, holding his uninjured side of his face in order to prod around the cut, "This bruise is horrendous, Jupiter. You are fortunate that you did not get hit directly in the eye or jaw, or else you would be in much more pain."

Jupiter remained silent, flinching when alcohol was gently wiped against the cut, wiping away the dried blood caking up the wound. "Tell me what happened," Legolas demanded. "Having sparred with you, I know that you would not have let anybody punch this hard."

"It was Ray. He caught me by surprise while I was about to go home. He warned me about makin' Isabelle cry again, sayin' if I did it again, he would kick my ass 'n all that jazz. I didn't even mean to make her cry this time, I just told her I was gay. Well, I mean, I was bein' a huge dick, but I'm always like that."

Legolas rolled his eyes, applying ointment before getting a bandage to stick to his cheek, "You are a trouble magnet, dear." He pressed a kiss against the rough material before pecking his lips, "However, I am glad you are alright."

Jupiter smiled and pressed his forehead against his, "So... About that text."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was so short, the next chapter may be another filler before the good shit finally comes into play. :D
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	38. XXXVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter is kinda boring and short. Next chapter will definitely get right back into the actual story line. Sorry D:
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter gnawed on his toothpick from where he laid on the car creeper trolley as he fiddled with the intricate mechanisms underneath the car, concentrating solely on the part in which he was repairing. It has been quite a while since he began, and now he feels filthy and much too sweaty.

Spring made its dramatic entrance with a wave of heat finally barrelling in on the city and countryside. It wasn't necessarily horrible, but after many chilly days, it would take some time to adjust once more. Usually, when this happens, Jupiter would remain underground and continue tinkering away in his precious lab while Manny soaks in the sun to maintain her precious tan all until he was ready to face the warm outside world.

He wasn't exactly sure why he thought of visiting his grandmother now of all times was a good idea. It's not like the woman can't take care of herself because she's older, or she won't get dehydrated or overheated while farming, or succumb to an unfortunate death caused by common factors like stroke or heart attack, but it's not like he has to worry about her because of those possibilities, she's a strong hag.

When he arrived, he had been greeted with the usual love tap of a wooden spoon and pulled along to the garage. The garage was... Well, it looked like a hoarder's nest.

She explained to him that she was doing some spring cleaning and was just about to start in the garage when he came knocking at the door. The main thing that had been crowding the garage was an SUV that had been broken down and collecting dust. So, desperate to get rid of it since she had nowhere to put it and had no desire to keep it as her own, gave him the keys and told him it was his.

And now, he was fixing it, because why get someone to repair it for him for a horrendous amount of money when he can just do it himself and still be successful?

The only downside was how disgusting he feels during the repairing process.

Jupiter rolled himself out from underneath the vehicle just enough to switch out the tool in his hand for a wrench. He was nearly done, finally, he just had to do some finishing touches and then test the thing.

"Rose?"

The voice that cut through the hushed heavy metal scared the  _fuck_  out of him. There he was, minding his own business, lost in his thoughts, and then he jumps like a little bitch. Unfortunately, this caused his forehead to collide with the rim of the SUV and an explosion of pain flared at the inflicted area. He cried out mostly from surprise as he dropped the wrench with a loud clang, pressing his hand to his throbbing forehead.

During this, he heard a small gasp from Legolas as he rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. He was apologizing profusely and asking if he was alright at the same time, gently moving his hand away to take a look at the bump that was surely appearing.

"It's okay, not your fault." Jupiter reassured him as the sharp pain turned into a dull throb, "I think a magic elf kiss would make it better though."

Legolas paused during his inspection in order to roll his eyes fondly, although he still felt quite bad for being the cause of him being hurt. Without any comment to his 'magic elf kiss' statement, he leaned down to press a gentle kiss on the red mark before taking the toothpick out of the other's mouth and moving down to give him a proper kiss. Pulling away, he asked, "What in the world are you doing?"

Jupiter blinked at him as if he were confused by his question but quickly got out of his daze, taking the toothpick back and putting it back in his mouth. "Oh, I'm fixin' up granny's old SUV. She didn't want it, so she just gave it to me, so technically, it's mine now. A pain to fix, but it'll be worth it."

He nods, standing up so he himself can look at the work Jupiter has done to the mass of machinery underneath the propped up hood of the car, "So, this is what enraptured your attention today. I dearly hope you know what you are doing."

"I do, actually. Mama was a mechanic, so she taught me a few things." He picked the wrench up again, "I'm almost done, so don't worry your pretty little head about it." Legolas could practically hear the grin on his face as he heard the squeaking of the wheels on the creeper, "So, how's your day been, darlin'?"

"A bore." He sighed, "I tried reading and joining the others in a game, but I felt the same. That's why I was looking for you, I knew you were busy, but I could not help myself."

"Your company is always welcome, don't you forget that." Jupiter rolled all the way out and sat up, putting the wrench into the toolbox before slowly standing up. "All done, now I just gotta see if the thing can run. Legolas, be a dear 'n start the car for me? All you gotta do is turn the key all the way down."

He looks up from where he was running his fingers through his hair when he hears no reply, only to see Legolas staring at him. He rose a brow, looking down at himself before returning his gaze to him, "What? Is it the sweat, oil, 'n tears? Trust me, right after this, I'm takin' a shower."

Legolas snapped out of his daze upon hearing his words and blushed, muttering another apology before going in the driver's side of the SUV. Jupiter shrugged, approaching the front of the car to examine the exposed, vital parts of the vehicle, "Okay, turn it on."

After a moment, there was the stuttering of the engine starting before a satisfying purr filled the air. " _Yes!_ " Jupiter shouted in triumph, shutting the hood, "Turn it off, now!"

Five seconds later, the purring ceased and Legolas was stepping out of the car. Jupiter easily took out the car jack, setting it aside and then admiring the vehicle alongside the elf, "After a small wash, it should be as good as new. A beauty, ain't she? Big enough to fit everyone, guaranteed."

"It will make traveling much easier." Legolas agreed, "Hm... It would not hurt if we test out how well it works. It has been a long time since we've gone on a journey and everyone appears to be getting rather tiresome of being at the same place for so long."

"I like the way you think." Jupiter said, looking at him with a small smirk. "I got an idea. Have everyone be ready in twenty minutes."

* * *

"Didn't I  _just_  tell ya, that I don't want that damn car, boy?!"

"I know, that's not what I'm here for-  _Ow_! Stop hittin' me with that fucking spoon, you old bitch!"

"What did ya just call me? Don't make me get my belt, punk, or I'm gonna whoop your ass so hard yer gonna pray to God for it to stop!"

" _Try me_."

"Esther, please resist the urge to discipline him, he's just being a jerk like usual. Also, our friends are here."

Esther went on her toes to peer over Jupiter's shoulder to look at the surprised group behind them. However, her sour mood evaporated upon seeing a familiar face that she has missed for a while. Gasping, she shoved her grandson out of the way, "Lance! Oh, sweetpea, it's been too long, c'mere!" Before Legolas could even move, she had the poor elf in a strong embrace that he returned with a small smile. She pulled away, "How've ya been? Jupiter causin' any trouble for ya?"

"No, Jupiter has been behaving, surprisingly." Legolas joked good-naturedly, the pair ignoring the indignant 'Hey!' that followed his statement. "And I am well, thank you for asking. Jupiter thought that it was best for you to finally meet our friends..."

And thus, the almost-natural introduction was given and the only visible reaction was raised brows when told that she can name them by character. She agreed, although, she stuck with Legolas's fake name. Overall, she took in everyone with open arms and even took a special liking to Frodo as well when discovering that he was in a relationship with Manny.

Once they finished chatting it up, she immediately put them to work. The Fellowship did not complain at all. After seeing the large field filled with crops and grazing animals, a wave of relief and homesickness washed over them. Even though they felt melancholy at the sight, they expressed their happiness to the change of scenery.

Esther had the hobbits feed and tend to certain animals, the men harvest her personal crops, the elf feed the horses and trim their hooves, the dwarf shear and feed the sheep, Manny help her clean, and Jupiter chop firewood. She gave them free rein to do whatever they pleased after they finished their chores, such as exploring the rest of the farm and meeting the rest of the animals.

Jupiter wasn't all too happy with his job, but he didn't complain. Yeah, he was getting exercise, but damn it, he just  _showered_. Now he's all sweaty and gross again, and he was once again shirtless. The only thing that cooled him down was the occasional light breeze and the cool grass beneath his bare feet... At least he didn't have random streaks of grease on his exposed skin.

He cursed as he tossed the chopped log into the growing pile. Why was she even making him chop so much? He gets that some nights will be cold, but the amount she's making him chop for the season was absurd. Whatever. He can complain later.

Slamming the ax into the next log and splitting it into twos, he thought of how this would be the perfect job for Gimli, but it seems that Esther knew that he and everyone else preferred working in the farm. Maybe if Jupiter finishes fast enough, he could do the same.

Jupiter sighed and gave his sore arms a break, looking up just in time to see Clementine trotting not too far away with one of her favorite people sitting on her saddle. He lit up, using his free hand to blow a sharp whistle to gain their attention. Immediately, their heads swiveled over to him, and a moment later they were coming towards him. Dropping the ax, he jogged up to them to meet them halfway.

Even though it wasn't necessary, he helped the other get off before giving him a deep kiss. Legolas hummed contently, chuckling into the kiss when he was grabbed by the waist and dipped. Once he was pulled back up, the man broke the kiss, " _'Quel re, Jupiter._ "

" _Nae saian luume'_ , Legolas."

Legolas's eyes widen, pleasantly surprised, "That was very well done. Have you been practicing behind my back?"

"Yep, your notes help." He looked at the horse over his shoulder, "You're done with your job already?"

"It was not too difficult." Legolas shrugged slightly, glancing over to Clementine, who had walked away a bit to nibble on an appetizing clump of grass. "I have hundreds of years of experience with horse care. I finished faster than I initially thought and Clementine appeared to be in the mood to move around."

"Yeah, well, I'm not even halfway done, but I don't give a shit. You're here now 'n I need a break."

"Esther  _has_  given you a lot. I can help you if you don't mind."

"You. Sir. Are. The. Best." Jupiter said each word between chaste kisses before he pulled Legolas down with him to sit on the grass. Although, he quickly changed positions and laid down with a satisfied sigh. He was surprised when Legolas followed his lead, but sidled up right next to him and laid his head on his shoulder, "Y'know, I'm pretty sweaty. You sure you wanna lay on me?"

"I don't mind."  _I_ definitely _don't mind._  He thought to himself as he feathered his fingertips over the faint lines on the scientist's flat abdomen.

"Suit yourself." Jupiter, completely oblivious, brought a hand up and played with his platinum blonde hair, "So, Legolas..."

"Hm?"

"What do you say about a road trip date? There's this festival that happens every year in Arizona to celebrate spring, 'n it's a mix between a carnival 'n an amusement park. I was thinkin' of bringin' everyone along so they can have fun too, but we'll definitely have alone time."

Legolas nodded, smiling "I would love to go." He paused, "You are absolutely sure we will be enjoying ourselves alone there?"

"Oh, I'm sure." Jupiter grinned devilishly, "Trust me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Quel re: Good day  
> Nae saian luume': It has been too long
> 
> Yeah, I know, boring af, but next chapter will have a lot more. It'll probably range between 5K-10K words or more, depending if I decide to make it two parts.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	39. XXXIX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING : Get ready for some cringy fluff... At least I think it's cringy ooF
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Everything was planned and ready to go. All they had to do was load the suitcases into their newly acquired, professionally cleaned SUV, and then they're headed off to their very first destination here in the city that they live in.

Jupiter sunk back in the cushion of the driver's seat and shut his eyes. All he had to do was wait for everyone to get dressed and put the suitcases in the back, and fortunately for him, he managed to be the first to complete this task. Also, being the most caring boyfriend, he took the initiative to put Legolas's suitcase in the car along with his so all the elf had to do was get dressed. He absentmindedly rubbed the back of his hand, brushing over slightly raised skin on his knuckles that were distinctly rougher than the rest of his skin.

It was around noon at the moment, an hour before they have to arrive at their first destination. This new destination popped up unexpectedly, but he easily managed to place it in the schedule considering they will have plenty of time. He made sure of it.

Their first stop is actually to a ballet show.  _Manny's_  spring ballet show. It is not out of the norm for Jupiter to watch her dance among the fellow dancers throughout the years, but this time she had a solo that she has been stressing over since the beginning of the school year, even  _before_  the Fellowship arrived. It did not help that time was taken out of her practice when she was recovering from the appendectomy. Jupiter knows that her skill in dance was extraordinary, but the issue was Manny did not see that, and no matter what he did, she's always blind to it all.

He probably had no right to say this, but it was frustrating when he listens to her worry over her steps, her movements, trying to  _perfect_  the intricate solo that she has already memorized and done flawlessly numerous times. However, he may be frustrated due to the very fact that he worries. Her behavior toward her solo routine was much too similar to how she was throughout seventh to ninth grade.

Jupiter hopes that Manny will manage to push through this. She loves to perform, but this was the first time that she will be put in the position as the center of attention on stage.

That wasn't the only thing he was concerned about either. He may be just a  _tad_  bit more worried about the trip. He was barely able to fall asleep last night, even with the additional help of the meds and Legolas's soothing Sindarin song. Too many possible outcomes that he definitely did not want to happen sped through his mind one after another and, oh boy, he was thinking  _more_  terrible possibilities.

His fiery, amber eyes snap open beneath the lenses of his glasses when the sound of the passenger seat's door clicking open reached his ears. The scent of soap, his favorite shampoo, and pine instantly wafted through the car as he turned his head to properly look at the person who managed to finish first. Unsurprisingly, he was met with blue eyes sparkling with elation.

Instinctively, he smirked, "Congrats, darlin', you're the first to finish 'n have the honor to ride shotgun."

"Oh, please," Legolas nearly rolled his eyes. "You helped me gather my necessities for this trip, so it is hardly worth a congratulation."

"Me?  _Help_?" Jupiter repeated with exaggerated surprise, waving his hand dismissively, "Your mind must be playin' tricks. You definitely deserve that seat, trust me."

"My mind must be playing tricks you say? Then let me see your hand."

The humorous atmosphere diminished along with his smirk. Jupiter, out of habit, automatically hid the appendage, although he knew it was already too late. Legolas gave him an exasperated look and the man huffed, reluctantly revealing it and setting it on the blonde's outstretched one. He both hates and loves how Legolas can catch every detail of him just from a single glance.

Although, at this point, it has become a habit for Legolas to glance down at the back of his hand like it has become more of a habit for Jupiter to scratch the back of his hand when he's...

"Anxious?"

Jupiter only nodded, watching his partner's fingers soothingly brush over the four bright red lines, examining the damage. Luckily, it wasn't too terrible.

Once Legolas was satisfied, he intertwined their fingers so that he had no chance of scratching it again any time soon. He swiftly changed the subject, "Will you now reveal where we are going? I do enjoy your surprises, but I have an inkling that it will be some time before you say it."

"If you're  _that_  curious, then I'll tell you the first place we're all goin'." Jupiter sighed out as if telling him was the most tiring thing ever, his smirk settling once more. "We'll all be goin' to Manny's ballet show." He paused, "Ballet is a type of dancin', by the way. She was pretty vague about what part she has, but she did say that the show had to do with a prince being pined by a demon or somethin'."

"I had no idea Manny danced, nonetheless performed." Legolas commented, surprised, "How long has she been doing it for?"

"Since she was four, I think. A performin' arts school asked for her to be part of the ballet program after the director saw her perform at our school."

"What of you, then?" The elf questioned further, "Surely if a school specialized in the arts can see the potential Manny has, another must see yours as well."

Jupiter snorted before outright laughing, shaking his head at his suitor, "Oh, trust me, one way or another they know who I am. Or more specifically, my last name. There's no way in hell they would take me knowin' that I'm the 'mad scientist's' son. I have no idea what my dad did to get that title, but I'm not complainin'."

"Yes, knowing you, you must think that no one will be able to keep up with your vast knowledge," Legolas chuckled lightly. "Not only that, you appear to share the same title, need I remind you of your unusual love for fire."

" _Hey_ , not all of that is true." Jupiter took a hold of his chin, leaning closer, "You, sir, are the only one who can keep up with me."

"Is that so?"

"I don't just take anyone under my wing, darlin'."

Their lips were merely brushing when the side doors behind them slid open and the sound of mock-gagging was heard. Jupiter groaned, looking through the space between the passenger and driver's seat to scowl at the two mischievous hobbits, muttering, "Cockblocks."

* * *

" _Surprise_!"

A gasp was pulled out of the only woman in the large group that walked into the lobby before she began grinning widely, "Genna! Luna! What are you two doing here?!"

The couple giggled as the ecstatic brunette pulled the both of them into a bone-crushing hug, "Jupiter snagged us some tickets." Genna said, waving the two strips of shiny paper, "And he may have asked us to come along on the road trip to spend more time with the guys. We've been wanting to get to know them a bit better, so it would also give you four lovebirds some alone time."

Manny's eyes had widened slightly throughout the explanation and she glanced over at Jupiter, who was talking to the Fellowship about being  _quieter_  throughout the performance. Guilt washed over her, "But what about you two? You won't be able to enjoy yourselves alone too if-"

"Manny, hun, don't worry about it." Luna interrupted her, beyond amused by her concern, but also touched. "Genna and I already have plenty of alone time together. It's time for us to leave the tattoo parlor to make  _real_  friends."

"If you two are sure..." She took a deep breath, smiling, "I may not have known the both of you as long as Jupiter, but I'm glad you guys are here. Anyway, I gotta run, I need to slap a tutu on and get my face beat, so see you later!" With that said, she jogged away, straight towards a door that said 'STAFF ONLY'.

The both of them watch her retreat to backstage before they walk over to Jupiter and the others to properly greet them. Luna waved excitedly, "Hi, hi, hi! We're here!"

"We can see that," Jupiter said with a fond roll of his eyes. "So, everyone, I didn't tell you guys yet, but these two are tagging along with us on the trip."

As expected, their responses were overwhelmingly positive. They all had missed the pair greatly and had absolutely zero issue with them coming along with them, which relieved Jupiter since he had no idea whether or not they would have been fine with two people they have only known for a day.

Jupiter frowned as he looked around the lobby they were loitering in and realized how packed it was getting. When they had arrived, there were only a few people hanging around, presumably waiting for friends and family, but now... "It is getting crowded in here." Legolas noted aloud in the middle of the conversation, "It would be best for us to go inside."

"Agreed." He shot a glare at the back of a stranger who bumped into his shoulder without even glancing at him. Tsking, he silently offered his arm to Legolas, "Rude ass people."

Luna quietly cooed at the sight of Legolas immediately latching onto the man's arm, hooking his own around it as he remained glued to his side, "They are so cute." She looked over at the rest of the boys as they followed the redhead and blonde, "Besides Frodo, do you guys have anyone special?"

"Well..." Samwise spoke up, his words hesitant, "Back home is a girl named Rosie Cotton; she is the most beautiful girl I have ever met. I wish that before I left, I had at least told her how I feel."

"Don't worry, Sam." Merry piped up, patting his back, "You'll see her again, just you wait."

"That's right." Genna nodded, "No point in being negative, man."

"I, too, have someone dear to me." Aragorn said, "She awaits my return."

"Before you know it, you'll be with her again. Trust me, I know the feeling very well."

* * *

Frodo casually slinked his way through the hallway leading to the backstage, following the specific directions Jupiter had given him, repeating them over and over again in his head. He needed to see Manny. Ever since he woke up without her by his side, he had been concerned. She had been acting strangely, busying herself with packing, eating barely three spoonfuls of food for breakfast... He is surprised that not even Jupiter noticed.

Now he knows why she hasn't been herself.

"Frodo?" He spun around when he heard his name being whisper-shouted and he froze, "What are you doing back here?!

The ringbearer's breath was stolen at the sight of Manny's new appearance. He can already feel heat tickling beneath his cheeks as he stared at her in stunned silence. She wore a black, tight-fitting tutu costume with large white and gold gems scattering the waist of the bodice, the size of them decreasing as they continued on toward her navel. White tights clung to her legs, a pair of black pointe shoes tied to her feet.

He met her eyes, surrounded by a deep gold, her face a shade paler and her lips a pitch black from the cosmetics. Her hair was in a messy updo and dressed with a shimmering gold tiara headpiece that wrapped around her forehead, a white jewel settling at the very middle.

She was stunning. Words cannot describe how magnificent she looked with her exposed skin shimmering with golden glitter, her arms dripping of some kind of thick, black liquid that reached all the way down to her fingertips. It was as if dark blood was trickling down from invisible wounds and it was such an unsettling, yet beautiful, sight.

"Frodo? Hello?" He blinked out of his daze as fingers snapped in front of his face, "There you are, now answer my question, why aren't you with the others?"

"I, um, I wanted to make sure that you were alright." Frodo managed to stutter out, "You look beau-beautiful... by the way."

Manny was visibly surprised by this statement, looking down at her slightly gruesome appearance, blushing beneath her makeup, "Oh. Thanks." She shakes her head, "Anyway, I'm fine, Frodo, no need to worry. Now hurry back, the show is going to start soon."

"You're lying."

The dancer visibly flinched at the accusation, but she quickly found her composure again. She forced a smile, "Frodo, I'm not-"

"Yes, you are." He said insistently, frowning, "Something is wrong, you and I both know it. Please, tell me what it is that bothers you."

Manny looked down, shifting from one foot to the other anxiously as her smile dropped. She couldn't look back at those determined eyes or else she would feel more of the guilt that was already eating away at her. She sighed in defeat, "It's just that... I'm scared."

Frodo's shoulders sag in relief once he hears this confession and takes a hold of her hand before guiding her over to a small bench that sat against the wall nearby, sitting the both of them down on it. Manny kept her voice low to keep unwanted ears from listening in, "Listen, I'm alright with performing in a group, but doing it alone with no one else around... It's terrifying. Being the center of attention isn't something that I'm very fond of. Frodo, the truth is-" Her voice wavered. Should she tell him? Should she really tell him?

"Manny?"

"I hate how I look." She blurts out, "I... I've always thought that I wasn't good enough. I constantly worry over what everyone thinks about how I look, no matter what anyone says. What I'm saying is that I'm just... Really insecure about myself."

Frodo stayed silent for a moment, "Do you worry about what I think? What the others think?"

"At first I did." Manny laughed bitterly, "But now that we're all closer, I don't anymore. I rarely catch myself being all negative with you guys."

"You have never appeared bothered before, from what I can remember, you have always been happy." Frodo said thoughtfully, "I had no idea that you felt this way."

"It didn't seem like it because I forced myself to push it all down." The brunette fiddled with the stiff, delicate fabric of her costume, "I wasn't always all sunshine and rainbows, y'know. There was a time in my life where I couldn't even look myself in the mirror. I was in a constant loop of temptation, guilt, a really gross, acidic taste in my mouth, and then the sensation of emptiness. It took a lot of effort and support to get where I am now, but there are still some points in my life where I go right back off the deep end."

One look at her was all he needed to see the agony that she felt just by talking about it and he felt terrible for bringing up her strange behavior even though it was for the best. He pulled her into a strong embrace, whispering to her fiercely, "Do not look at the faces you don't know. Focus on mine. Jupiter's. Sam's. Everyone that you know."

She shakily returned the embrace, her vision blurring as she nodded.

* * *

The show went better than Manny could ever imagine.

Talking to Frodo helped tremendously, which was why the first thing that she did after getting out of costume and makeup was find everyone in the emptying lobby, walk straight towards him, and kiss him.

Jupiter's eyes widen at the sight of her giving the kiss her all while Genna and Luna covered Merry and Pippin's eyes despite their protest, "Well, damn."

"Great, now the two of 'em are doing it now." Gimli muttered, shaking his head in disapproval.

"...Should we stop them?" Sam asked upon realizing that they were not stopping.

Legolas was the only one who was smiling, laughing at the various reactions, "Leave them be. I have a feeling that they need this."

After everyone poked fun at the couple once they finally found their bearings and broke apart, they praised Manny's performance. They were all amazed by the skill that she possessed in the elegant dance, her role as the demon being played especially well with her powerful and sharp movements. It was truly mesmerizing to see her glide over the stage with precise steps and execute difficult jumps and twirls. However, there was only one part that Frodo disliked, which was her dance with the man who played as the prince. When he voiced this, she only laughed and kissed him again.

Not too long after they left the building, they were on the road again with Genna and Luna tailing them in their own car, heading to their next destination.

Arizona.

While in the car, they occupied themselves with songs on the radio and sharing more stories from their lives as Jupiter quietly drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand in Legolas's. They made quite a few stops, either to use the bathroom, get more gas, or to take a moment to enjoy the scenery together. It was a long drive - a total of six hours to be exact - until they finally arrived.

"Everyone, welcome to my and Manny's family's big ass log house. Since there are a lot of people in the family, there are plenty of rooms, so don't worry yourselves over who's bunking with who." Jupiter announced.

"Yeah, yeah, just unlock the doors already, I'm getting claustrophobic in here." Manny said, practically bouncing in her seat.

Aragorn chuckled, "He has not even stopped the machine yet."

Once Jupiter finally parked the car and unlocked the doors, everyone hopped out and stretched their arms out in relief. Genna and Luna followed, parking next to the SUV in the dirt driveway and took their time taking out their suitcases.

Legolas looked up at the large wooden house that was surrounded by the forest, admiring the architecture of it. There were many large windows in each room, parts of the house being made of round stone brick to support the balconies on the second floor and used for the chimney. His name was called just as he was wondering what was lying in the woods.

He effortlessly caught the keys that flew towards him with one hand, glancing at them before giving Jupiter a questioning stare. "Go unlock the door for us, I got your suitcase. While you're at it, go ahead and pick a room for us."

Legolas nods and approached the front door of the log house, unlocking it once he stopped in front of it. Swinging the door open, he stepped inside and looked around to find that the home had lots of space and was rather modern within its confinements. On his right were a living room area with a large couch and love seats in front of a fireplace, and a small open area with a carpet right next to it in front of a large window. On his left was an open kitchen area with a dining table not too far from it.

At the very back was a staircase that he headed straight for, which lead to the bedrooms. Just as Jupiter said, there were plenty of them that lined the halls at each side of him. Deciding that he wanted him and Jupiter to have as much privacy as possible, he went down the left hall and stopped at the very last door at the end.

Opening the door, he stepped inside and took one good look around. He was satisfied to find that it looked rather...  _homey_. The bed frame of a king-sized bed was pressed against the right side wall, a couple of dressers, and two glass doors that lead to the balcony. It was a simple bedroom, just the way he liked it.

"How convenient."

Before the archer could turn around, arms snaked around his waist and a chin rested on his shoulder, "This is the room I always choose."

Legolas hummed contently, leaning back into his chest, "We have similar tastes, then. It's the farthest from the other rooms and gives much more privacy."

"Yeah," Legolas tensed as Jupiter lifted his head slightly to whisper in his ear, "Soundproof, too."

" _Jupiter_."

" _Legolas_."

The elf slipped out of his hold and spun around before poking him in the chest, smiling up at him teasingly, "Behave."

"You're no fun, doll, we have a little while 'til we gotta get freshened up 'n out the door. Don'tcha want to find out how soundproof it is?" He was given a look and he sighed in defeat, "Alright, fine, I'll quit messin' around."

Legolas captured his lips with his own in a brief kiss, "If you are patient enough, perhaps I will become curious enough to test if they are as soundproofed as you so proudly claim." He then gently pushed the flustered man away, "Now, allow me to put away our belongings."

* * *

"Welcome to the Spring Carney, everyone! This is where happiness and laughter resides once every year, a paradise even! Where everyone is your friend and fa-"

The car jerked to a sudden stop as Jupiter beeped his horn at the car that sped right in front of him in the parking lot, " _You fuckin'_ _cock sucker!_ " He shouted, flipping off the retreating vehicle that finally chose to slow down. "This whole damn place is infested with shit drivers, Jesus fucking Christ!"

"Oh-kay, maybe I lied just a tad."

"This situation feels strangely familiar, does it not, Legolas? Gimli?" Boromir inquired. Gimli nodded while Legolas only smiled.

They were all beyond relieved when they finally found a parking space in the large parking lot. As they waited for Genna and Luna to catch up with them, Jupiter looked over at the Spring Carney. The sun was barely setting, yet from here, he can hear the chatter and laughter coming from the place.

It brought back some good memories. He and Manny use to come to the Spring Carney every year with their families, a mixture of a carnival and an amusement park with a circus right in the middle of it all. But, unfortunately, for the past couple of years, they haven't gone due to some issues Manny was having with her family. After having that dinner with Chloe, it's pretty easy to figure out what exactly those issues were all about.

"Alright, so we'll be separated into three groups," Jupiter said as they all waited in line, his hand holding onto Legolas's, "It'll be Legolas and I, Manny and Frodo, and then the rest of you."

"Why will there only be the two of you?" Merry questioned.

"Merry, they are in a relationship," Aragorn said. "They wish to go and spend time together alone."

"Estel is right," Legolas nods. "It would not make sense for Jupiter and I to spend our date with our friends."

"Got that right. I'm not sharing my Legolas with anyone." Jupiter said, pulling out his wallet as he moved up, being the next one in line.

After getting all of the tickets scanned, they made it through and were all simultaneously hit by the bright lights in the open area with people walking around, booths and attractions scattering the sides of the pathways. Pippin and Merry whooped when Luna pointed and shouted at something that she wanted to go to first, everyone following the excited ginger to their first stop. Frodo then pointed out an attraction that also caught his eye, dragging a giggling artist with him.

And then there were two.

Music and laughter filled the cool air along with the aroma of foods of all kinds. Jupiter allowed the ellon and himself to take a moment to soak everything in, considering how much has changed since the last time he was here. Legolas snapped his head up, startled when he heard a chorus of screams up high and felt his eyes widen at the sight of a metal carriage of people dropping down a narrow, metal railing.

"That's a roller coaster." Legolas looked over at his suitor and the grin on his face was nearly psychotic, "And we are  _definitely_ going on one."

"On that... That  _thing_?" He points incredulously up at the ride as the metal carriage forced the poor mortals to go through two large loops, "Do you wish for me to be  _killed_?"

"Nope, I definitely want you alive. If you're going to be here, you have to go on at least one roller coaster. Besides, I've been on this one a million times, it's safe!"

"Jupiter,  _meril-nîn_... I must question your sanity. I am not going on that machine of death."

"Oh, c'mon, just once, please? We'll go wherever you want next." He pleaded, taking a hold of both of his hands and giving him the sweetest smile he could muster.

Legolas could not look away from his golden eyes, which were gleaming with hope. This was a first, the man begging him for something and then giving him such an endearing expression. "Oh, alright." He sighed, "I suppose I need a different type of excitement at least once in my long life."

"Yes!" He pumped his fist victoriously before dragging him along toward the direction of the ride.

* * *

"Never...  _Never_  again..."

Jupiter cringed at the sight of his suitor's pale face. He wanted to punch himself for convincing him to go on the roller coaster with him, he should have known it would have turned out like this. "Sorry, Legolas... Maybe we shouldn't have gone on a super intense one like that for your first time."

"No, no, it's alright." He told him reassuringly as the color returned, taking a hold of his hand again. "I will admit, it was quite thrilling, but I'm never doing it again."

"Agreed. Your more of making some kind of contact with the earth kind of guy."

The blonde chuckled as they exited the area, returning back to the main path that leads to many games and other attractions. "Now, where shall we go next?"

"It's your turn to choose. We can walk around a bit until something catches your eye." He told him, grabbing his hand and guiding him through the small crowds of people walking to and fro.

Legolas took his time looking for something that interested him, enjoying their leisure walk together, before his eyes landed on a strange sight consisting of a two-story house barely holding together that was covered in cobwebs. At the front door was a short line of people and more people coming out either out of breath and pale, or straight out running while laughing and screaming. "Rose, what is that?"

The redhead perked up and followed the direction where Legolas was pointing at. He blinked in surprise, "It's a haunted house. Why?"

"I would like to go there."

"Huh, didn't think you were one for horror." He tugged him along towards the wooden house.

Legolas narrowed his eyes slightly at the sinister laughter coming out of the speakers up at the front, along with the faint screams inside. "Are they in danger?"

"No, a haunted house like this is meant to scare people. You'll see."

A worker of the attraction, donned in a gruesome costume, grinned widely at them once they reached the front of the line. With a dramatic flourish, he pulled the curtains aside and gestured inside, "Welcome, to _It's Playhouse_."

Jupiter's eyes widen as color drained from his face instantaneously, " _It_?... Did you just say _It_?"

"Are you scared, sir? Don't worry, there's no need to be afraid... If you go in,  _you'll float, too._ "

The redhead growled in frustration and pulled himself and Legolas inside, ignoring the evil cackling that followed from behind them as they were enveloped in darkness. Legolas found himself almost regretting picking out this particular place, "Jupiter, what's wrong? What did you mean by  _It_?"

He shivered at the name, " _It_  is the antagonist of a horror story written by a damn good author. They made a movie out of it, actually." He explained as they slowly made their way through the darkness, clinging onto his hand, "He's a spooky ass demon clown that lures children by using their fear to overpower them, and eat them. Clowns creep me the  _fuck_ out, dude."

Before Legolas could even ask what exactly a clown was, there was a flash of bright white light along with the floor beneath them giving out slightly. Through that flash, Jupiter clearly made out Georgie in his classic yellow coat. " _Fuck!_ " He screeched, jumping.

Legolas could only let himself be dragged the other way to a different hallway while the teen shook his head, "Nope. Hell no, I am not going to deal with Georgie. Not today."

The elf bit his bottom lip as he tried to keep himself from laughing. His sharp eyes were able to easily adjust to the darkness, so he was able to see the mechanisms that controlled the light and made 'Georgie' appear. He felt bad for finding Jupiter's reactions to all of this humorous, but it was not every day that he sees him like this.

A child's giggle echoing around them made Jupiter jump again, wrapping his arm around Legolas's shoulders protectively.

When they rounded the corner from where a light was coming through an open door, the redhead pulled them to a stop and the door slammed closed behind them. He began to shake his hand frantically at the sight of three familiar doors with bloody writing on each one, looking back and forth between them and the closed door. "Nope. Fuck no."

"I don't think we can go back from where we were..." Legolas stated, unease trickling within him after witnessing the door closing by itself. "We must continue forward."

Jupiter took a deep breath and nods in agreement, letting go of him in order to go for the first door. He placed his hand on the handle and looked over at the elf that sidled up to his side. "Screw it." He grits out before twisting the handle, pulling it open.

A loud curse ripped out of his throat as soon as he did along with a gasp from the other before he slammed the door closed. "...Was that..."

"A lady with a weird morphed face with a freakishly long neck flying towards us? Yep." He tried to say calmly before moving onto the second door, not waiting for the other.

As soon as he opened it, he slammed it shut and pressed his back onto it before fists began to pound against it. Sinister laughter of a man was muffled by the door. Jupiter sent Legolas a wide-eyed look, "Imagine an orc and man crossbreed. That's what I just saw."

The scientist suddenly growled in frustration, moving away from the door and towards the last one, "You know what, fuck this bullshit! We're getting the hell out of here because I'm seriously losing my shit!" He whipped open the door and went through it.

"Jupiter!" Legolas shouted after him mostly in exasperation and followed him. "Jupiter!" He called again, seeing him race down a flight of stairs.

The elf himself wasn't that frightened by the haunted house even though some parts surprised him, but his partner made him worry. Jupiter was someone who was willing to stick his hand into an open flame - an action that he was extremely unhappy to find him about to do and had the unfortunate task of stopping him from doing - so seeing him distressed about a place like this? It had him regretting ever bringing him there.

The moment he got off the last step, his arm was grabbed. "Rose? Are you alright?" He whispered.

Through the darkness, the redhead pointed over to something shakily. He turns to see that they were in some type of basement with the child they had seen in the beginning floating in the middle of it.

" _Hey_... If you come with me...  _You'll float, too_."

"No thanks." Jupiter responded even though he knew it was no use, slowly inching away with the blonde.

"You'll float, too... You'll float, too!" The little boy giggled, "You'll float, too! You'll float, too! You'll float, too!"

Both of them took a step back at the sight of a figure stepping out of the shadows, someone that Jupiter instantly knew. " _You'll float too!_ "

Jupiter did the very first thing that his instincts screamed to do:

Pick Legolas up and sprint straight toward the only exit, which lead to what seemed like a sewer with the clown cackling and hot on their tails.

* * *

"I... I hate clowns... So...  _So_  much..."

Legolas carefully wrapped his arms around Jupiter with a frown etched onto his face, "I am so sorry... You should have told me that you were too afraid to-"

"No, don't apologize." He shook his head quickly, "It's not real and I kinda deserve it for dragging you onto a roller coaster. Plus, I needed a good scare. It might have been sort of a bad experience, but it was fun."

"You were  _terrified_."

"Yes, because it was a  _clown_. Now let's just forget that happened, okay? How about I show you the wonders of cotton candy?" He smiled reassuringly at him as he pulled away, taking his hand in his to guide him to a food stand cooking up all types of junk food, both savory and sweet.

Jupiter got one for both of them to share since he wasn't all too big on the sugary treat. It may have been satisfying to eat, but it always ends up stuck in his teeth one way or another. It was why he usually avoided hard candies. He watched with a smirk as the archer examined the blue cloud on the paper cone with furrowed brows. "How peculiar... Do not tell me that it actually is made out of cotton."

He snorted and shook his head, tearing off a clump from it, "No, it's pure sugar." He brought it up to the other's mouth.

Legolas hesitantly opened his mouth and ate it. His eyes widen, "It melted!"

Jupiter's smirk eased into a content smile, "The sugar is spun as it's heated to make thin strands that can be collected onto this white stick. It's mostly air, but sugar all the same. The feel and look of it are where it gets its name. Do you like it?"

"It's strange... I suppose it's alright, though it may be a tad too sweet for me."

"That's right, you prefer chocolate over pure sugar." He mused, eating a small piece himself as they resumed walking.

It didn't take long for the both of them to finish it and when Jupiter looked over at him, his brows rose, "Your lips are getting kinda blue. Wait here, I'll go grab some napkins."

Legolas gladly received a quick peck on his lips before the man jogged away, disappearing in the crowds. The blonde looked down at the thin, white cone in his hand before scanning his surroundings for a trash can. Luckily, there was one close by and he walked over to it in order to drop it in, his nose wrinkling at the stench that the large cylinder emitted.

He then made to walk back to where he came from, but abruptly stopped as he collided with a person that wasn't paying attention to where they were going. His eyes widen when he saw that the person - the  _woman_  - had fallen on the ground, "I'm terribly sorry!" He rushed out as he quickly went to her side in order to help her stand up.

The woman, donned with a plain t-shirt that was about a size too big and jean shorts that reached to her knees, rubbed the back of her head as she was pulled back onto her feet, "Urgh... It's cool, I should be the one apologizing, I was the one not watching where I was going." She shook her head to clear it before taking a good look at his face, her eyes then quickly dropping down to his band t-shirt that Legolas may or may not have stolen from Jupiter's closet. Her eyes widen, "Shit! I spilled my drink on you! Um, uh, okay, I think I have some napkins in my pocket, holy shit, I'm so sorry."

The elf only smiled at her warmly, telling her in a calm voice, "It is alright, you only spilled water, correct? It will dry."

"Yeah, but that's a  _Shinedown_  t-shirt, a damn good band - I'm just surprised you're not pissed, even if it's just water."

"That is the thing, My Lady, this is not  _my_  t-shirt."

The woman froze from her rifling in her pockets before snorting, "Okay, now I can see why you don't really give a shit."

"Quinn!" The both of them direct their attention to two other women who were not dressed as modestly as the woman in front of him. They both stopped in front of them, panting lightly, the one on the right pointed at her, "You, Quinn, have no self-control."

"Steph is right," The other on the left said, "Why do you always run off like you're on a mission when you hear there's a fresh batch of chili cheese fries waiting for you?"

"Well,  _Beth_ , other than weed, chili cheese fries are God's gift. Fight me."

Steph and Beth seem to then just notice the ellon that was simply watching the trio, shifting onto his other foot, "Who's this?" Asked Beth, interested.

"Oh, I got body slammed by him when my dumbass wasn't paying attention and spilled water on his shirt. His name is... Wait, I never did catch your name."

"You may call me Lance, it is a pleasure to meet you." He greeted politely, offering his hand to the three of them.

Quinn shook it normally, but he was surprised when Steph made to shake his hand, grasping it, before pulling him towards her with surprising strength. "You're British, right? I've never met a British guy before, have you, Beth?" The girl next to her shook her head, a suggestive smirk already growing on her face.

"Oh my God, will you two leave the poor guy alone-"

Beth interrupted her, "Y'know, Steph and I are twins. We don't look like it since my sister decided to dye her hair brown, but we do everything together. And I mean  _everything_."

Dear Valar, Legolas has never been so  _uncomfortable_  in his life.

Legolas forced his hand out of their grips, forcing out a small laugh as he shook his head and took a step back, "Lady Steph, Lady Beth, you both seem like wonderful women, but I am not-"

" _Don't be like that, Lance._ " They clung onto his hands again, suddenly speaking in unison, " _We'll take good care of you._ "

"I think,  _he was about to say_ ," An arm wrapped around his waist and gently yanked him back. The familiar, strong arm curled protectively around him, "That he is not  _interested_."

The twins faltered at the sight of golden eyes glaring down at them while Quinn looked between the two with furrowed brows as if trying to connect the dots. Legolas switched his gaze to Jupiter and swallowed thickly at the sight of his murderous expression. He didn't know what else to say other than, "Jupiter."

"I got the napkins. You ready to go?"

"Yes, I suppose." He looks back over to Quinn, who appeared to have figured out what exactly was happening and was trying very hard not to laugh, "Again, it was lovely to meet you, Lady Quinn." Legolas made sure he did not spare a glance to the other confused girls.

"Same to you Lance, you cool British dude." She gave a small salute. "Sorry about my sisters."

Legolas gave a small wave of farewell as Jupiter turned them around to continue down the direction of the path they were going towards. As they walked away, the redhead looked over their shoulders to shoot another piercing stare at the twins, a wide smirk replacing his glower as he slid his hand into Legolas's back pocket and pulled the elf closer to his side.

He was satisfied to see their faces go pale and the laughter bursting out of Quinn.

"Jupiter, your hand."

"What an astute observation, Legolas."

"There are people around us," The flustered blonde hissed. "I am blaming you if they begin looking at us strangely."

"Well, it's not my fault those two girls pissed me off. Now I can't let you out of my sight, or else another pair of horny women are gonna snatch you from me."

Legolas huffed, "You know well that I would never allow such a thing to happen. Who else would stop you from causing chaos everywhere you turn if I did?"

Jupiter rolled his eyes at the joke that the elf was snickering over, "Not funny." He pulled his hand out in favor of stopping him at the side of the path. He took off his hoodie jacket and went behind Legolas to help him put it on to cover up his damp shirt, "Now I see why you were so angry about that girl at the restaurant. I never want to see anyone like them trying to get in your pants or else I might flip my shit."

An unexpected rush of warmth filled Legolas upon hearing his words. He was overjoyed to hear them and he found himself liking the possessiveness in Jupiter's words. The way that he gazed at him afterward, keeping him close as if he wanted him all to himself, it was an addicting sight.

"Now are you feeling up to going to the circus? After that, there are some fireworks they set off- Holy shit, I never told you what fireworks are! Okay, time for a crash course on one of the classes of low explosive pyrotechnic devices..."

* * *

Before they both entered the gigantic tent, Jupiter made sure to warn Legolas about how loud it will get once they entered. The blonde had silently pulled the hood of the jacket onto his head in hopes of muffling some of the noise, which partially succeeded.

Despite the noise levels, overall, the circus was a joy to experience. During most of it, Legolas was impressed with all of the performances, especially the acrobats that the men and women showed off. The only unenjoyable part of the entire show were the clowns, which Jupiter pointedly ignored and thought it was best to distract himself with Legolas's lips. He did not complain at all.

By the time they left, Jupiter guided him by the hand towards an open area where bleachers were set out for people to sit and marvel at the light show in the sky. They had managed to arrive just in time for the first firework to go off. The blonde flinched at the loud boom, but didn't appear too bothered by it, he was much too distracted by the dazzling lights sprinkled through the night sky.

The display of the bright colors shining, bursting into different shapes mesmerized him. Jupiter had not been jesting when he told him that they were overwhelmingly beautiful and a soft smile graced his face. This was the perfect way to end their night at the Spring Carney.

Meanwhile, Jupiter could not help, but snap a picture of Legolas smiling up at the sky with his hood shading almost everything except his smile and hair. He wanted to capture this moment and keep it with him forever. Even though he had just taken a picture, he watched his partner's bright blue eyes twinkle in delight.

Legolas was worth looking at more than the fireworks.

Unsurprisingly, the rest of their large group was there as well to enjoy the dancing lights. Together, the Fellowship, the couple, Jupiter, and Manny returned to the log house with varying soreness in their legs and feet, and stomachaches for certain individuals. Everyone was completely knocked out by the time their heads hit the pillows, barely remembering to say goodnight to their friends.

There were two people, however, that remained wide awake.

Jupiter laid under the covers with his dear elf, who was curled up with his back against his chest. He was waiting for the right moment. The right moment, meaning, when he stopped being a little bitch. He had plans in mind for when everyone was asleep, plans that he had been organizing for a long time and he was both excited and afraid to go along with them.

A sudden thought shot into his mind. He could still not do it. He can still wait. But could he?... He doesn't think he can. More than anything, tonight was the only time he was going to have at least a smidge of courage. He was not going to allow these plans to go to waste because he knows he'll regret chickening out.

Jupiter heard a deep sigh before the mass in his arms shifted, turning around to look at him with a knowing look. Legolas lifted a hand up, cupping his cheek and caressing his thumb over it, "You are having trouble falling asleep, my rose. You are anxious, I can hear it in your breathing, and now I see it in your eyes."

The scientist remained silent, unsure of what to say. He bit his bottom lip, looking off to the side where the drawer with his clothes was at before he abruptly sat up, tossing the blankets off of him, "Get dressed in something nice, darlin'. Our date isn't over."

"What?" Legolas furrowed his brows as he sits up, "It is late, Jupiter."

"Yeah, half past two in the morning to be precise." He said as he quickly went through the drawer he had been eyeing, taking out a small pile. He points at the elf as he walked to the bathroom, "When I'm out this bathroom, you better be dressed 'n ready."

As soon as the door quietly shut, the blonde slid out of the bed while grumbling, " _Men_."

* * *

"Jupiter, usually I am not bothered by your surprises, but I do not particularly enjoy being blindfolded and finding out I have been taken to the middle of an empty field. In fact, I should have kept you in bed so you can get the  _sleep_  that you nee-"

Legolas had to do a doubletake when he turned around as he continued speaking to properly look at him. His jaw dropped slightly, scanning the man up and down as the tips of his ears went ablaze. Jupiter rubbed the back of his neck as he shifted his weight on his feet and chuckled a little, "You like it?"

The blonde was only able to nod his head. This was the first time he has seen Jupiter in a suit and the color of it suited him alarmingly well. Although he stuck to his regular high tops, the rest of him was formal, yet messy, and it  _did things_  to Legolas. His dress pants and blazer were a light pink, his blazer remaining open to reveal his white dress shirt and grey tie that was roughly tied.

"I... um," Jupiter cleared his throat, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, "I've been waiting all day to show you something. I was just waiting until I was sure no one would interrupt us or anything, y'know?"

"I see, I'm glad that you didn't take me here just for the hell of it." Said Legolas, smiling as he pulled himself out of his daze.

Jupiter laughed and guided him forward so they both sat down on the dry grass before pulling out the same Bluetooth speaker he uses in his lab and setting it in front of them on the ground. As he silently turned it on, Legolas's eyes snapped over to his right when he saw a flash of a soft light at the peripheral of his vision. How peculiar, he swore he saw something...

Soothing music filtered the cool, night air. It made Legolas relax, suddenly not too annoyed that he was dragged out of bed to enjoy the presence of his significant other and the music that was guided by the soft breeze. The archer turned to Jupiter upon feeling him scoot closer and the other smiled when he caught his eyes. He looked at the direction of where the scientist was pointing towards and he gasped.

Just a moment ago the field was empty and bare with no life in sight. Then, as if the music attracted it, tiny flashes of yellow light flooded the area all around them, floating leisurely through the air as if they had all the time in the world. Legolas wasn't sure what to do other than to stare as his sharp eyes were able to see where these strange, soothing lights were coming from.

Fireflies.

He looked over at Jupiter with wide eyes and he simply grinned at him before leaning over to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "You remembered," Legolas whispered once the other pulled away. "You remembered that I wanted to see the fireflies."

"Of course I remember, doll." Jupiter said, "I always make sure to listen to you whenever we talk 'n I'll always do whatever I can to put that charmin' lil' smile back on your face."

Legolas cupped his cheeks and pulled him towards him, kissing him gently. He broke it, pressing his forehead against his, "Thank you for bringing me here, _meril-nîn_."

The redhead kissed him one last time before guiding Legolas's head down to rest on his shoulder, their fingers tangled together on his knee. They revel at the scene, the minutes flying by as the fireflies danced in the dark in a much slower and calmer manner than the lights of fireworks. Although Jupiter was a heated man who was too stubborn to let anything get in his way, he was a wonderful, kind person all the same, and all of those aspects of Jupiter is what Legolas loved. He was lucky to have met him because he knew deep down that Jupiter was the only Jupiter that existed.

Jupiter knawed on his bottom lip again as the next song played in the playlist and he took a deep breath. Forcing himself to relax, although there was still tension visible in his shoulders, he looked down at Legolas, "Wanna dance?"

The ellon lifts his head and smirked slightly at him, "I thought that you did not know how to dance."

"Okay, fine, do you wanna sway together like two thirteen-year-olds in their first school dance?"

Legolas barked out a laugh, standing up and pulling the man with him, "Try not to step on my feet."

"No promises."

Jupiter immediately took the lead, placing his hand on his waist and holding the strong hand with his other. At first, Legolas tried to verbally guide him through a simple waltz, which did not fully succeed. As expected, Jupiter quickly grew bored of the dance lesson and did his own thing, twirling and dipping the laughing elf right before giving him a surprise kiss.

It was near the end of the song did he quit messing around and the pair relaxed, swaying. Legolas suddenly felt Jupiter tense slightly as the next song played, which was drastically different from the others that they had been listening to. It reminded him of the genre of music that he grew to like after hearing quite a few songs from the radio.

" _I don't want a friend._

_I want my life in two._ "

Legolas was beyond startled to hear the voice that came out of the speaker and he lifted his head from Jupiter's shoulder to look at him with wide eyes. He only stared back steadily with an unreadable expression. That was Jupiter's voice... The man still did not react as the song continued, Legolas's mind going blank as he continued listening.

" _When I'm around slow dancing in the dark..._

_Please follow me, you'll end up in my arms._ "

Jupiter wrote a song for him. It was a song for  _him_. He almost could not believe that the man would go through such lengths to express how he felt this way, through something he loves. His eyes stung as the lyrics became clear in his mind and he began to  _understand_  what they meant. With such small amount of words, they spoke volumes and he felt as if his chest was going to burst as his heart stuttered, pressing against his ribs as warmth flooded through his veins.

" _Give me reasons we should be apart._

_I will fall instead, my heart restarts._ "

A small laugh tumbled out of Legolas and he hurriedly wiped away tears that slid down his cheeks. He can tell the song was reaching its end and he didn't want it to stop, he wanted to listen to Jupiter's singing for all eternity. It dripped with raw emotion and he can  _feel_  it all hit him all at once into his core.

" _I'm a shadow who loves and craves your light, oh why?_

_Can't you see?_ "

Jupiter brushed away blonde strands of hair, tucking it behind his ear. He was shaking.

" _I don't wanna slow dance..._

_In the dark..._ "

He pressed another kiss to his lips.

" _In the dark..._ "

The man fully pulled away, took a step back, and knelt down.

All that was left after the song finished was silence. Jupiter licked his lips, taking a moment to gather his jumbled up thoughts and looked up at the blonde, whose hand he was still holding. Legolas stared down at him, speechless and heart racing. "Legolas, I..." Jupiter shook his head, "I didn't really plan what I was going to say next, but... You know what I think about love, right? How it's just a chemical compound developed inside an organism that makes them rapidly reproduce, and how too much of it can make someone go crazy."

"I can recall that." Legolas let out a watery laugh, "You gave me a rather short lesson on it, I was a little disappointed."

He nods, smiling slightly, "Well, being with you, I've learned a lot about that. I learned that love isn't only something that affects you physically. It can... interlace within you so far beyond physical and it's a scary thing. That's why, I want to tell you that I love you, Legolas. I love you in every way."

Jupiter... loves him. He  _loves_  him?

The waterworks came back full force and he dropped onto his knees so that he was able to look at him face to face, "No... No, you love me?  _Truly_?"

"Yes." Jupiter said firmly, "It was what I wanted to tell you at the farm.  _I love you_. I'll tell you over and over again if I have to, I'll remind you every single day, okay? You're my One - my  _everything_." His voice sounded strained as if he were holding back tears as well. "I... I wanted to ask you something, too."

He reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a small, velvety black box. He opened it and showed its contents to the frozen elf, "Since you asked me the elf way, I thought it would be fair to ask the human way, so Legolas Greenleaf, will you do me the honor of being my husband?"

"You fool, how can I ever say no?" Legolas smiled shakily, "You are the best thing that has happened in my life. You are more than I could ever ask for... You give me a purpose like no other to move forward and you give me so much joy that I do not know what to do with it all. I don't think I had realized it in the beginning, but... The very moment that I met you, I had already given up everything for you."

Lips slammed into his and he could do nothing but cling onto the man's blazer, submitting to the passionate kiss as they poured everything into it. Legolas could feel the dampness of tears and he was not sure whether it was his or Jupiter's as he allowed the other's tongue to slip past his lips, bringing him into a heated state of euphoria.

Jupiter felt dizzy with endorphins crashing through his body as Legolas's lingering touches caused a spark within him to ignite and suddenly, he didn't want to stop  _kissing_ and _touching_  him.

Legolas forced himself to pull away and the man was taken aback by the lust blazing in his eyes, his breathing quickening, "House.  _Now_."

It seems like he wasn't the only one who didn't want to stop either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meril-nîn: my rose
> 
> ASDFGHJKL; FINALLY!
> 
> That took so long to write and edit ;-; But it was so worth it! I hope the very end made up for the cringe song shit; I couldn't help but do something cheesy, Jupiter is one cheddary romantic fanatic I tell you.
> 
> Anyway, to be honest, this is NEARLY 10K words, but it's definitely over 9.6K. BUUUUT... If you want MORE...
> 
> The smut will be posted a little while after this! ;) It'll be posted very late like this chapter, so keep an eye out!
> 
> Also, song credit to my favorite artist: Joji. The song is called SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK, and the moment it came out, I decided that this would be Jupiter's song. I had been planning on using it for so long, because it was so perfect and it fit him so well, but unfortunately, I had to change up the lyrics so they weren't so fucking depressing xD
> 
> Here is the full set of lyrics that I change - YES, I did it for the entire song. Don't judge me.:
> 
> I don't want a friend, just you
> 
> I want my life in two (my life in two)
> 
> (Just one more night)
> 
> Waiting to get there
> 
> Waiting for you (waiting for you)
> 
> Just one more night
> 
> I'm done fight it all night
> 
> When I'm around slow dancing in the dark
> 
> Please follow me, you'll end up in my arms
> 
> You done made up your mind
> 
> I don't need no more signs
> 
> Can you?
> 
> Can you?
> 
> Give me reasons we should be uncomplete
> 
> You're still by my side, I can't believe
> 
> You look at me like I am everything, oh why
> 
> Can't you see?
> 
> I don't wanna slow dance (I don't want to slow dance)
> 
> In the dark
> 
> Dark
> 
> When you gotta run
> 
> Just hear my voice in you (my voice in you)
> 
> My soul shouts out for you (my soul shouts out for you)
> 
> Doing so great (so great, so great)
> 
> You
> 
> I'm the only one to hold you when you fall
> 
> Yeah, yeah, yeah (when you fall, when you fall)
> 
> We both already know (We both already know)
> 
> I don't want you alone (I don't want you alone)
> 
> Can it be your light?
> 
> Can you?
> 
> Can you?
> 
> Give me reasons we should be apart.
> 
> I will fall instead, my heart restarts.
> 
> I'm a shadow who loves and craves your light, oh why
> 
> Can't you see?
> 
> I don't wanna slow dance (I don't want to slow dance)
> 
> In the dark
> 
> Dark
> 
> In the dark
> 
> Dark
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	40. XL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Just lots and lots of fluff and aftercare. Enjoy. :D
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Legolas awakened with warmth enveloped and cocooned around him like a blanket. He blinked slowly, his blurred vision clearing as he mumbled incoherently under his breath. He pushed away long hair that had flopped over his face at some point during the night, which then led to the unpleasant realization that all of his hair resembled Jupiter's. Wild and out of control.

He decided not to ignore it for now and focused on a much more important matter. The owner of the arms wrapped around him and the chest his back was pressed against. Legolas carefully shifted, turning around so that he was now facing his beloved and a smile immediately rose to his face as he took in the state that he was in. From what he can see of the bare skin peeking from underneath the covers were a few red markings scattered on his neck that were already turning into a light purple. If he lifted up the blankets, he was absolutely sure that there would be more of the marks that he made, but Legolas was also certain that his own body was much worse.

The blonde lifted his hand up to gently run his fingers through crimson hair, lightly biting his bottom lip as he happily recalled the activities of the night before. They both had lost count of how many times they had done it and couldn't recall how long it took before they passed out from the exhaustion. He can still feel the same afterglow he had felt last night and he clung onto that sensation.

_Finally_ , they bonded and he didn't regret a single thing. Time and all of that nonsense didn't matter to him. All he cared about was the ceasing of tugging of his soul. It was now relaxed, a part of it missing and replaced with another that fit so satisfyingly perfect, smothering it in a protective, loving blanket. Legolas's hand slid down from the hair he was playing with and pressed it against the other's chest. Along with the strong, steady heartbeat, he felt the pulsing energy of part of his own and Jupiter's soul intermingling in a lazy fashion but remained firm and unyielding.

Legolas wondered how his father would react if he ever told him that he was bonded with another. The person not only a part of the race of Men but also a male. It would also not help if he ever mentioned how soon their courting period ended. Evidently, he would be furious by this and perhaps go on with a long monologue about if he were going to marry someone it should have been with a beautiful elleth and then he would forbid him from ever seeing Jupiter again... The thought of his father telling him that saddened him, but nonetheless, it was true that he would say it.

Legolas pushed the thought away and instead focused on his sleeping lover, who was cuddling him as if the elf were a stuffed animal, light snores and incoherent mumbles - which he found endearing - escaping him from time to time. If they were to have an eternity together, he would not mind staying here to simply watch him like this all throughout it endlessly.

"Hm... Whatcha doin'?"

The elf looked away from his own hand and back to Jupiter's tired, yet happy, face. Legolas's smile grew, not bothering to answer, before giving him a gentle kiss. Jupiter hummed contently as his arm, which was draped over his waist, tightened and pulled the other closer until he was fully pressed against him. After he reluctantly broke the kiss, Legolas said, " _'Quel amrun, meleth-nîn_."

"Mornin', darlin'." Jupiter's eyes trailed down and he visibly winced, lightly running his fingers over one of the bite marks he inflicted on Legolas. The redness and bruising was a great contrast from his pale skin, but the sight of it proudly displayed at the area between his neck and shoulder pleased him immensely. A possessive part of him thought that now everyone would know that Legolas is his, "Shit, I shouldn't have bitten you that hard. Does it hurt?"

Legolas shook his head slightly, suppressing a deep shiver. No, it didn't hurt, but it was  _extremely_  sensitive. "Not to worry, it will heal quickly." He then muttered more to himself, "In fact, I was hoping you would do it more."

"...What did you just say?"

Okay, perhaps he should not have said that out loud, "Nothing."

"Liar," Jupiter chuckled before he let go of Legolas, swiftly moving on top of him between his legs as he grinned devilishly, "I heard you. You just said you wanted me to do it  _more_."

The blonde crossed his arms stubbornly, "No, I did not. I'm afraid you're hearing things, Jupiter, because that is  _not_  true."

Legolas gasped when he unexpectedly leaned down to lick at the bite, his hands scrambling up to cling at his shoulders. The sensation had felt so unbelievably  _good_  and  _perfect_ , and heat instantly shot straight down to his core. Another deep chuckle left Jupiter, "Y'know, gettin' hard completely contradicts what you said. I swear, your sex drive is insane."

"Mine?" The elf said breathlessly as a furious blush appeared, "I'm surprised you were able to keep up with me."

" _Barely_." Jupiter looked down at Legolas's new problem and his gold eyes darkened into a deep amber as he took a deep breath. He then snapped out of his daze and rolled off of him, oblivious to the way Legolas squirmed slightly as he watched him longingly. The redhead stood up and disappeared in the bathroom for a moment before the sound of running water followed. Jupiter returned soon after, sitting at Legolas's side of the bed.

Kissing his forehead, his hand disappeared underneath the blankets to gently massage the other's bruised hip. The hand-shaped bruise was a small price that Legolas paid for the engulfing pleasure they experienced, and he didn't mind it one bit, "You feelin' up to a bath? You must be really sore after everythin'."

Legolas sighed contently at the soothing sensation and nods, accepting another loving kiss.

It didn't take long before the bathtub was filled. Legolas made sure to hide his winces with every step he took until they were in the bathroom. He was beyond relieved when Jupiter gently pulled him into the tub with him, settling him on his lap.

The blonde closed his eyes as Jupiter began washing him with soap, massaging his sore muscles. It has been much too long since he has been this content with nothing to worry about. It was as if they were in their own world as they soaked in each other's presence, taking pleasure in the sereneness. Jupiter pressed light kisses on his shoulder and neck before rinsing his body off with the steaming water.

Jupiter allowed him to soak in the water as he washed himself off next. Legolas voiced out that he had wanted to give him the same care he received, but he was thanked and denied. As appealing as that sounded, Jupiter only wanted his elf to be taken cared of that day. His only desire was for him to just relax and enjoy the pampering he was receiving.

After quickly washing his own hair, he put his attention back on Legolas. He tilted his head back slightly so no soap would get in his eyes and wetted his platinum blonde hair before massaging in the shampoo. Legolas hummed contently as the scent of vanilla filled the air, chuckling to himself when his head was briefly turned in order to receive a brief kiss. As fingers skillfully cleaned his hair, he thought about how intimate this was, yet how it wasn't at all.

They were pressed against each other in the water while completely bare as Jupiter worshipped him with kisses every now and then, but they didn't do anything farther. The scientist just continued to bathe him, the both of them chatting about whatever whenever one of them spoke up as if it were any other day.

Jupiter moved onto the conditioner after rinsing his hair out, "Y'know, it's kinda weird." He said as he carefully untangled small knots that stopped him from running his fingers through his hair, "How one day we're just courtin' boyfriends 'n then the next day we're husbands."

A bright smile lit up on Legolas's face upon hearing that word. Husbands. "I agree, it is a bit strange and sudden, but I cannot help but feel overwhelmingly happy." He abruptly turned his body around slightly so he was sitting across his lap and cupped his cheek as he pressed his forehead against his, "Bonding with you, becoming your husband, it has become the greatest moments in my life along with meeting you and becoming your's along the way."

Legolas only had a brief glimpse of his golden eyes shining with tears before Jupiter embraced him.

"I love you."

Hearing those words come out of his mouth caused Legolas's heart to stutter as he kissed the side of his head.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Legolas loves the ring.

Once they had gotten out of the bathroom, dried off, and pulled on some clothes - they both decided to ditch their shirts - the redhead remembered that they were too enraptured with each other last night for him to remember to actually give him the ring.

It was not a simple diamond ring or a ring decorated with some type of jewel, Jupiter told him that those kind of rings were too cliche. Instead, after a lot of browsing around, he managed to find a rose gold ring that was shaped in an arrow. The arrowhead and tail were decorated with small, shimmering diamonds that only made the jewelry even more impressive. Legolas was surprised to find that it was a perfect fit and has since been admiring the piece of jewelry that wrapped around his ring finger.

Jupiter smirked from where he was at the cutting board, chopping up some fruit for their breakfast. Ever since he had placed Legolas on top of the counter, he has not taken his eyes away from his hand which adorned the engagement ring. He shook his head in amusement and put all of his attention on his current task. It wouldn't be fun if he cut his finger off.

His mind trailed off, thinking back to when he had been considering proposing to Legolas. It didn't take long for him to go with the plan, but it took him longer to ask for a certain someone's blessings...

_"...What?"_

_Jupiter took a deep breath, "Okay, I think I said that a little too quickly. Aragorn, I... I appreciate you and everyone else accepting me as your friend, I don't have a lot of them so I'm grateful for that. The reason why I wanted to speak to you in private is that of Legolas. He is everything to me. He is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life and every day I want to show him that. To remind him how much I care and what he means to me. That's why I want to properly ask for his hand in marriage and I would be honored to receive your blessings."_

_Aragorn, predictably, was stunned. At first, when the scientist had rushed out his words, he had thought he was jesting, but hearing it for the second time and registering the seriousness of them was enough for him to freeze. He was not surprised by Jupiter's desire to marry Legolas, per se, he was more surprised by the fact that he asked for Aragorn's blessings._

_Jupiter continued speaking after hearing his silence, "I know I should be asking his father for his blessings, but from what I've learned, he doesn't particularly care for Legolas's happiness when it comes to these things. To me, I feel that you actually give a shit and truly care about his happiness, and that's all that matters to me."_

_"You are aware of what all of this means, correct?" Aragorn asked after a moment. The other nods firmly and he smiled, placing his hands on his shoulders, "I trust you, Jupiter. I have known Legolas for a very long time and never have I seen him so joyful without you, and I have no doubt that this marriage will only strengthen you both."_

He hadn't specifically said that he had his blessings, but it had been heavily implied. In fact, Jupiter had been so glad that he was alright with it, that he had hugged him. And speaking of hugging...

"What exactly are you doin', Legolas?" He asked, amused, as he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind him.

"Don't mind me." Jupiter can practically hear his grin, "Let me enjoy myself."

He rolled his eyes as he grabbed a banana to cut as well. Since they had woken up much later than everyone else, the others have already eaten a lot of the food from the fridge and from the sound of it, they have been messing around outside behind the house for a while now. "As much as I enjoy it, too, you can't eat while clingin' onto me like that."

Legolas sighed deeply, grumbling under his breath, "Just a little longer."

Jupiter snickered as he grabbed two bowls from the cupboard. The redhead loved how domestic all of this felt, how  _natural_  it was. It was as if nothing had changed other than the fact that they were a little clingier with each other now. Although this was everything he could ever ask for, he couldn't help, but be slightly disappointed with one thing. Just a tiny bit.

He can still vividly remember the story that Legolas told him about the two elves that had fallen in love and how their love touched the heart of the All High so much so that he declared that all who found true love would be connected through mind, body, and soul. He would be lying if he said he wasn't hoping for that to happen to him and Legolas. To  _completely_  be a part of each other...

It was a fairy tale, anyway. Even Legolas thought it was not completely true when he had told him the story. Usually, stories about true love are just made up. Take  _Sleeping Beauty_  and _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_  as an example, which has the reoccurring topic on true love. True love has always been a part of fictional stories, so did that mean true love itself was fictional as well?

That didn't sit well with him. However, he accepted it. Even though he was saddened when he awakened and felt nothing other than a fullness in his heart, he was fine with it. He was satisfied and glad that Legolas was by his side and bonded with him.

Both Jupiter and Legolas jumped when they heard something being dropped from behind them. Whirling around, they saw Manny staring at the both of them with wide eyes and her half-empty water bottle now on the floor. They all sort of stood there, looking at each other with varying degrees of surprise. Jupiter watched as her eyes took in Legolas's state, "Legolas, Jupiter... Please tell me you guys didn't get mauled by a bear."

The couple glanced at each other, "Um..."

"Manny?! Where did you go?"

"Pip, do you have any water left?"

"Drink your own, I'm thirsty, too!"

"But I ran out!"

Genna and Luna came into view. The ginger-haired woman gasped, her hand slapping over her mouth as Genna looked at the two of them up and down and whistled, "Damn, son."

It didn't take long for everyone else to appear. Great.

"For fuck's sake." Jupiter muttered as the Fellowship reacted similarly to Manny. Maybe he and Legolas shouldn't have taken their sweet time in the kitchen. They were hoping to tell everyone about this new development later on, not this soon when they want to be  _alone_.

Genna suddenly laughed and clapped her hands, "Congrats, guys! I can tell that the proposal went really well."

" _Proposal_?" Manny repeated along with the hobbits before gasping loudly again in realization. She pointed at the both of them with comically wide eyes, "Last night- Then you- And you just-"

"What in the world is happening?" Boromir asked himself as he scratched his head. They had only been introduced to a new game outside after breakfast before Manny suddenly disappeared an hour later, and then one thing led to another, and now most of them are wondering where the marks on Jupiter and Legolas came from.

Gimli shrugged his shoulders upon hearing his question. The dwarf had a feeling that he was going to get a good laugh from all of this soon.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god-"

"Wait, what proposal? Frodo, what are they talking about?"

"Oh my god, oh my god-"

"The both of you look horrible! Did you get attacked by an animal?"

" _For the love of_ \- We fucked, okay?! Holy shit, you people drive me insane sometimes!"

Sure enough, Gimli immediately guffawed as Legolas slapped his hand onto his forehead.

* * *

_**** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Quel amrun, meleth-nîn.: Good morning, my love.
> 
> I know this one was kinda short, but hopefully, the next chapter will be a bit longer. :D
> 
> By the way, I added in what the ring looks like since it's been a while since I've added visuals.


	41. XLI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I'm literally just writing a couple of scenes I had in my notes that I thought would be okay to try writing out. For pretty shitty ideas, I think it came out well. (dEnIaL)
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"You. Frigging. Piece. Of. Nerd. Flipping.  _Trash!_ "

"Ow! Stop hitting my back! You're gonna make the fucking scratches bleed, bitch!"

"You know full and well that you deserve it!" Manny shouted as she waved her sneaker after the fleeing scientist who jumped over the couch to hide behind it. "What have we learned today?!"

"Suck my dick,  _puta_!"

A loud gasp ripped out of the brunette, "You take that back!"

Jupiter peaked his head over the couch and blew a raspberry at her while holding up both middle fingers. Manny's jaw dropped at the childish display before hurling her sneaker straight towards his face. The redhead ducked in time, causing the footwear to collide with the TV screen with a loud and concerning smack. Jupiter popped his head back up, looking back at the television screen - which was luckily unharmed - and then back at his best friend, "Are you fucking crazy?!"

Legolas, who was casually eating his breakfast, watched blandly with the others as she shouted, "I'm Manny Vallette, hoe, come out so I can fight you!"

"We are  _not_  doing this again, Amanda!"

"Yes, we are! It's high-time I whoop your ass, Jupiter!"

"There will be absolutely no ass whooping in this household! Let's, um, let's talk about this!"

"It's too late for that, jerk!"

Jupiter gulped as he heard the familiar sound of metal jingling, "Legolas?"

"...Yes?"

"Did she take off her belt?"

"I am afraid so, rose."

"Shit... I was hoping to save this last resort." Jupiter muttered to himself before fully standing up from behind the couch. "Wait!" He screamed, holding his hands up when she prepared to throw her other shoe, a folded belt clenched in the other. "Throw it and I'm flashin' my dick!"

Manny froze, her whole face going white at the sight of his fingers clenching the edges of his pants, "Don't you dare drop your pants, young man."

"Mental scarring can easily be avoided if you just drop the belt, step away, and let me take Legolas on a date."

Almost immediately, she dropped the weapon and put her hands up, hissing with a glower, "You will  _rue_  this day, Holo."

Jupiter didn't say anything. He only hurried over to his husband while keeping an extremely close eye on her, "Jupiter, love, you still need to eat no matter how much Manny so dearly wishes to torture you for keeping yet another secret from her."

"The hobbits can have it-" He barely acknowledged the scurrying of two pairs of feet, "You and I are leaving so the witch can cool down."

"Wait, what did you just call me?!  _Que te jo-_ "

Everyone dissolved into laughter as Jupiter swiftly swept Legolas off his feet, causing the elf to protest as he was carried up the stairs as if the devil was chasing after the poor scientist.

* * *

"Jupiter, heads up!"

Raising one hand, the man caught the ring of keys and stared at it for a moment before raising a brow at Genna, "Why are you giving me this?"

"Borrow our car since it's just the two of you and be back by six." There was a strange glint in her eyes that Jupiter did not like, "Luna and I just found out about an... event going on today. When Frodo calms down Manny, we'll talk to her and everyone else about it. You in?"

Jupiter looked over at Legolas and the elf shrugged slightly with a smile, "It would not hurt to join. We might as well have as much fun here as we can."

"Then that settles it, we'll be back at six."

Luna clapped her hands excitedly, "Great!"

"Oh, by the way..." The redhead rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks for helping me out, you two. I owe you  _big time_."

"Aw, it's no problem. I'm just happy that you guys are happy."

A rare, soft smile stretched across his face and he gave one last farewell before walking with Legolas over to the car, conversing about how both Luna and Genna helped make the song with him. Said couple watched as they slipped in the car before pulling out the driveway and onto the road. Genna looked over at her smiling girlfriend, whose fingers were innocently laced together behind her back, "He has no idea what's about to hit him."

Luna, still beaming, chirped, "Not a clue."

* * *

"You wanna know what my tattoo on my foot is?"

Legolas bobs his head, looking at his significant other rather than the open road ahead of them, "I believe that's what I asked. I remember what it looks like and I am aware that it's a chemical formula, but I have always wondered what it was exactly."

Jupiter hummed after hearing his statement, turning the steering wheel slightly as the road curved. They weren't going toward any particular destination, they were too absorbed in their chatting to discuss that, but neither of them were complaining. The man squeezed the hand in his slightly and he breathed out a sigh when it was returned, "I got it when I was fifteen. Stupid idea to get a tattoo that young, not to mention kinda illegal, but I never regretted it."

"I can see that your rebellious antics were not a phase."

"Oh, hush, you love it." Jupiter chuckled, "Anyway, the tattoo is somethin' you already know about. I've talked about it a couple of times, actually, one of which bein' last night. It's the chemical formula for love."

"So you permanently marked the one thing you dislike onto your foot." Legolas said almost immediately afterward, "Jupiter, I need context."

"Yeah, I expected as much." He briefly let go of his hand in order to make a rather sharp turn before lacing their fingers once more, his thumb brushing over the ring, "I'm actually surprised you caught how much I didn't like the formula, I rarely talk about it."

The elf paused at his statement and became rather confused himself. The night he first brought it up and last night, he was unable to detect anything other than melancholy and longing just from looking at him and listening to the tone of his voice with some effort. Now, however, he was able to see his dislike with ease. No,  _see_  wasn't the right word for it...

"I remember..." Legolas said, "What you said. How if this formula were put into a person in high quantities, it can drive them to insanity."

"You remember correctly. I hated it 'cause that's what happened to me." He shook his head slightly, "I don't know how or why, but long before I found out who exactly my One was, I already loved them. How could I not? Almost every night, I would see them- see  _you_  in my dreams. Even though I couldn't remember your face, I always remembered how I felt 'n fuck, it was the most amazin' feelin' ever at the time. Not nearly as great as I feel when I'm actually with you, but back then was a shitty time for me so you can imagine how great it was."

"But when you wake up, it vanishes." Legolas continued sadly, his voice quiet, "You were pulled away from that happiness and when you awakened, I was no longer there. Imagining myself in that position, to cruelly be ripped away from you over and over again, I would have..."

"Been driven mad." He finished, "All of those chemicals buildin' up, the fuckin' pain I felt with it, it was too much. I knew I was goin' nuts 'n a part of me wanted to stop feelin' all of this, but at the same time... It was addictin'. I can give up smokin', drinkin', whatever, but love is a drug that I'll  _never_  be able to overcome."

"I  _still_  don't understand. Even though you say this, it does not make sense to mark yourself with it."

"I never knew who you were, let alone what you looked like. I'll admit that I was a little drunk at the time, but at that moment all I wanted was somethin' that represented you so that you were always with me. I was hopin' that it would keep me from bein' forced into a straight jacket - 'n it worked mind you - so the chemical formula was the only thing I could come up with. I know it kinda sounds like it means that I hated you, but really it was more that I both loved 'n hated how you made me feel."

"No wonder..." Legolas brought up their hands in order to kiss the other's, "Is it... Is it better now that I am here?"

Jupiter smiled hearing his hesitant question, "A lot better. Trust me, nothin' can compare to the real thing."

After that, there was a comfortable silence. They were now driving through a desert that Jupiter remembers going through at some point, so he was not too worried about getting lost where the road splits, heading left.

"All of your tattoos have a significant meaning." Legolas mused suddenly.

"Yeah, but I only have two. A lot of other people do the same." Jupiter glances over at him suspiciously, "What's on your mind?"

"I was only thinking of sharing that opportunity. It would be nice to have one as a memory that I can carry with me everywhere I go."

"What I'm hearin' is that you want a tattoo."

"...Maybe."

Jupiter snorted and slowed down a little in order to quickly lean over and kiss his cheek, "You can have whatever ya want, darlin'. Ask 'n you shall receive."

Soon enough, they were out of the desert and arrived at a small city. Jupiter focused more on the road and drove more carefully now that there were more cars. They pass by an old, closed down building that he can only assume was a supermarket and the man's eyes lit up before he quickly did a u-turn when the road allowed him to.

Legolas furrowed his brows as he pulled into the pathway of the supermarket, heading to the parking lot in the back where there was plenty of space, "Jupiter, what in the world are we doing here?"

The man parked the car and unbuckled his seat belt, "You, my darlin' husband, are gonna learn how to drive."

"...Pardon?"

"C'mon, you can't tell me you've never wanted to drive a car."

"I've never wanted to drive a car."

Jupiter rolled his eyes, "Okay, you can't tell me you've never been curious about what it's like."

"I do not think it would be best to use Luna and Genna's car, let alone me drive at  _all_."

"If you're worried about crashin', don't be. We're in a huge, empty parkin' lot 'n it's nearly impossible to crash into somethin'." He pauses, "You don't have to if you don't want to, though. We can keep drivin' until we figure out somethin' else to do to kick-start our date."

Legolas stared at him for a long moment before sighing deeply as he unbuckled his seatbelt, "I cannot believe we are starting our afternoon together in an abandoned area, learning how to drive a machine on wheels."

Jupiter felt himself smirk upon hearing the amusement in his voice, and soon enough, they had switched seats in the car. "Okay, so before we even start drivin', let me explain what the important bits do. Might look like a lot to take in with all the buttons 'n levers 'n shit, but in reality, it ain't much..."

Soon enough, the blonde knew how to use the gear stick, foot pedals, blinkers, and mirrors. "Alright, now for the drivin' bit." Jupiter said as he buckled himself in.

"How wonderful."

"Okay, Mister Jokester, buckle up, adjust your mirrors, foot on the break, put it in drive, both hands on the wheel, 'n go for it.  _Gently_."

Legolas followed his directions, "I am willing to try, but do not blame me if this all goes horribly wrong."

"I trust you, Legolas, you'll do just fine."

The blonde dearly hopes so. In all honesty, he was more worried about embarrassing himself in front of Jupiter rather than crashing. Legolas's hands tightened on the wheel after lifting his foot off the break and they began moving painfully slow. Encouraging words poured out of the redhead, "You're doin' great, doll, just keep the wheel steady just like that... Try the accelerator now, real lightly, though."

After a moment, the car went from a snail's pace to a walking speed and Jupiter smiled, "Perfect, babe, try linin' the car up in the aisle between the parkin' spots by turnin' the wheel."

Legolas grew confident hearing his words, relaxing slightly. He did as advised and even pressed the accelerator down a smidge until he was in the aisle, "Good, now stop the car when you reach that sign up ahead."

Jupiter was pleasantly surprised by the elf's fast progress. He vaguely remembers himself going too fast and being unable to drive straight the first time he went behind the wheel. Admittedly, he had been beyond nervous at the time due to many reasons. He wonders if-

A curse nearly bursts out of him when the car suddenly jerked forward when stopping, a clear display of stepping on the breaks too hard. Jupiter blinked owlishly and looked over at the blushing archer, who mutters, "I think that's quite enough driving for today."

He can practically  _feel_  the embarrassment radiating off of the other. Laughing, Jupiter turned the other's head and leaned over to kiss him.

* * *

Jupiter was being hunted down. He's been hunted down since the very beginning of all of this, but he managed to survive so far. A few run-ins, but he was able to skillfully avoid the attacks, swiftly countering before bolting off to safety and continuing his own hunt. He can feel himself sweating a little from all of the fighting and running - the battle was more intense than he had been expecting.

He can hear the loud cursing of his allies, all of which being friendly strangers. The enemy's group also consisted of strangers, except for one. That one person he knew very well was who he was hunting and he has yet to see him. He was beginning to grow impatient. He should have known this was going to be difficult - hunting down a person with silent footsteps, their skills in stealth practically running through their veins.

It was strange, though. Jupiter felt like he should be just a little bit more worried about who he was being hunted by... Psh, yeah, right. If he can handle a spar with him, then he's sure he can handle-

The man skidded to a stop when a beam of red light flew right in front of his face, barely missing the tip of his nose and hitting the wall shadowed in the darkness next to him. He whipped his head over to the side and caught a glimpse of glowing, deep blue orbs before he ran like his life depended on it, constantly looking over his shoulder in order to jump away from incoming beams.

He was very wrong. He should have been extremely worried.

Jupiter, admittedly, may have had an idiotic moment and completely forgot that the one he was hunting for is an elf who is a master with a bow and battled with that precious weapon for over two thousand years. Maybe it was a mistake to tell him to go all out...

...Nah, probably not.

Taking a sharp turn, he pressed himself against the wall with his gun ready, his finger hovering over the trigger. Jupiter has no idea if he lost him or not. After he hid, no more attacks were attempted, but he knew better. Oh, he knew better.

It was with a sudden revelation that he realized he had this whole entire battle wrong. He had thought he was hunting the elf, but he wasn't. The elf had been watching the entire time, waiting for the right moment to strike like a tiger camouflaging into tall, dry grass as it waits to dig its claws into an unsuspecting antelope. He should have fucking known from the very beginning that this was going to happen. Why didn't he consider all of the possible outcomes? Why did he jump into battle with no strategy and one goal?

His face paled as these thoughts ran through his head and he contemplated whether or not he should run, stay put, or fight. None of those options sounded pleasant, but he needed to choose and  _fast_.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough since during his few moments of distraction, his gun was abruptly whacked out of his hand with another. The muzzle of the other's gun pressed against his abdomen as one of his wrists was grabbed and pinned to the wall beside his head before his vest lit up to signal that he had been shot.  _Fuck_. Now he can't shoot for fifteen seconds.

Legolas - the sneaky fucker - didn't waste any time. Keeping his hand pinned to keep him in place, he locked their lips together in a deep, frantic kiss. Jupiter was immediately hit with  _want_  and  _lust_  as their tongues tangled together, and his free hand slithered down to grip his husband's ass firmly, drawing out a barely restrained moan that was muffled by his lips.

Legolas wasn't exactly expecting himself to throw himself onto Jupiter, to be the one in control for once. He just couldn't help himself. All day he was holding himself back from doing something like this, but he just couldn't help it. The man was just so irresistible... All day he had been teasing him with feather-like kisses, lingering touches, speaking and praising him in a soft, deep voice, and Legolas has not stopped  _staring_  at the physique of his body that was accentuated by his tight-fitting t-shirt.

His eyes would always end up to his face, dressed with his signature lazy smirk, and his amber eyes twinkling with a hidden mischief that could even rival an elfling's. But then his gaze would trail down to his neck where one of many bruises have been placed for all to see and his mind would inevitably trail off to their night together. How his golden orbs stared into his own blue ones with a certain possessiveness and adoration that flared an intense heat within him. How his lips and hands traveled across his body, how the elf's own fingers gripped to his shoulders, scrambling for some kind of support before he dug his nails into Jupiter's back as the man  _moved_  so  _powerfully_ -

It had become overwhelming by the time they arrived here to enjoy a new game, laser tag it was called. The man was excited to introduce Legolas to something he would most likely enjoy - which he was absolutely correct to assume.

He was having a great time as he tried to find Jupiter, although it was a bit repetitive shooting enemy after enemy. It was only when he caught a flash of red hair through the dimly neon-lit arena did the real fun begin.

Of course, he didn't ambush him straight away. He watched from afar and was beyond amused to find that he appeared frustrated, no doubt from being unable to find Legolas. He had silently followed him until people on his team found the scientist by chance and tried to earn a point by shooting his vest. Legolas remained rooted at his spot as he watched Jupiter evade the beams of light zooming towards him, even occasionally using dirty tricks like tripping the enemy or using them as a shield.

The fire in his eyes was enough for Legolas to want to punch a wall and it only got worse when Jupiter finally finished playing games and held the gun in a way that showed that this wasn't his first time holding one, shooting each one of them with precision. Seeing his muscles flex as he moved, the way his face deepened into a concentrated scowl... It was enough to finally break the immortal and make his move.

Jupiter pulled away when his vest vibrated, the dim lights on it returning as he pants, "Holy shit, shoot me again."

Legolas obeyed easily before dropping his gun. He took advantage of their equal heights and pinned his other hand to the wall so that they were both above his head, diving back in with more fervor. It was as if his libido doubled the second Jupiter began responding to the first kiss. They should stop, they really should, but they still had seven more seconds to enjoy themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to make their spring road trip as long as possible before I do some... things in later chapters.
> 
> Also, I have something very important to say! In case you have not seen my announcement on Wattpad, I'm going to start a new job soon and my writing schedule will be out of whack. So, updates might permanently change to Sundays, or may even happen during Saturdays occasionally.
> 
> A little bit of a spoiler, but be prepared for another special scene (hinthintwinkwink) for the next chapter!
> 
> By the way, for the next chapter, I honestly don't know how to feel about it (this one is from my original drafts that need heavy duty editing) but I'm doing it anyway because I think another cracky-serious chapter is needed and I think it's kinda funny.


	42. XLII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Apologies for the wait, here's a 10K word chapter for your asses. :P I had fun writing it!
> 
> WARNING: Slightly cracky/carefree chapter. :D... But I ended up going off the deep end and it gets pretty serious. A little angst is thrown into the mix, too.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Legolas and Jupiter came stumbling through the front door, giggling madly as they leaned against each other for support. They weren't sure if they were laughing at the joke Legolas made or because of the amount of laughter that had bubbled out of them afterward... Probably both.

They've been like this for a solid three minutes and Jupiter was absolutely sure that nothing would get rid of his mirth for a good while... Well, that was until he saw two of his dearest womanly friends standing oh-so innocently in the living room area. The looks on their faces caused his laughter to abruptly cut off and to eye them warily. Legolas notices quickly afterward and cuts himself off as well.

He silently took a hold of his husband's hand, tugging it as he took a slow and careful step backward. They both jumped and spun around when the door slammed closed behind them. Jupiter watched the last one of the female trio grin at them in a way that caused alarm bells to ring in his head as she locked the door. "Okay, that's not creepy at all..." He muttered.

"You made it right on time." Genna said as she slowly walked around them to join the other pair, "I'm surprised, I thought you two would be...  _late_  if you catch my drift."

Legolas blinked owlishly at her, "What is  _that_  supposed to mean?"

"You two just lost your virginities last night." She stated bluntly, "Now it's even harder for the both of you to keep your hands off of each other."

"Wait how did you know we were-  _No_ , we are  _not_  going to talk about that." Jupiter said firmly, holding his hand up. "Just tell us what you guys are planning, not gonna lie, you're freaking us out a little."

"Well, my dear, nerdy, pyro,  _jerk_  of a best friend..." Manny smiled sweetly, "I've already spoken to the other boys while you two were spending time together and they've all agreed to go to a special parade that's starting in a couple of hours."

"A  _special_  parade." Legolas repeated.

"Mhm, to be more specific, it's a pride parade."

"Oh." Jupiter relaxed, "A parade for the gays and more. That's all you wanted to do? Tell us about it and make us go? If Legolas is comfortable then I'm all in."

"Rose, I do not think that is the only thing that they wish to tell you." The elf told him as he eyed the large bag in Luna's hands, "I have an inkling that you will despise what is approaching."

"...Oh, no."

"Legolas is right," Luna said. "You owe us, Jupiter. All of us. You've kept secrets from Manny, you owe us compensation for the help on the music, and not to mention the  _bail_  you have yet to fully repay for when you got arrested. Fortunately for you, your payment is easy. All you have to do is come with us to Genna and I's room, and allow me to beat your face."

"...Huh?"

"Let me make this easier for you." The ginger sighed as she dug into the large bag before pulling out a whole fucking  _wig_  that's the same color of Jupiter's fucking  _hair_. "You are going to become our queen whether you like it or not."

"Fuck  _you_  and fuck  _no_. You are not putting me in drag!" Jupiter shouted incredulously.

"Jupiter," Manny walked up to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You will be in trusted hands. We will turn you into the most beauteous woman. A goddess. You will  _slay_."

"Wha-"

She switches her attention to Legolas, grasping his shoulders now, "Legolas, my lovable, blonde bestie number six... If you get him to cooperate, I promise you, by the end of this, you will have a drop-dead gorgeous bride."

Jupiter shook his head, snickering, "Yeah, right, as if he would agree to something so dumb. Right, sug'?... Sug'?" His smile dropped along with his jaw when the blonde looked at him sheepishly, "Legolas!"

"Well, we will not be having a ceremony any time soon-"

"Darlin', I can drive us to the nearest tailor right this second to get  _suits_  for us and go straight to the chapel afterward if that's what you're saying."

"Oh, Jupiter, you know that is not what I mean."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

Legolas sighed and slipped away from Manny's grasp in order to wrap his arms around his neck, whispering into his ear, "What I'm trying to say is that it would be interesting to see my  _groom_  as my  _bride_  as well before we possibly have a ceremony. Please,  _meleth-nîn_? For me?"

He kept his hands at his sides as he tilted his head back, taking a deep breath before groaning loudly in agony, "Why can't I just say no to you for once in my life?"

The women grinned.

* * *

"I hate all of you."

"No, you don't."

"I really hate all of you."

"Even if you did, you would love us after we're done with you."

"I can't believe you're all tag-teaming in shaving my fucking legs and armpits."

Manny rolled her eyes, "It's not like there's much of it anyway, it's just faster this way. Just think about it, you'll have perfectly girly dolphin legs after we're done."

Jupiter huffed from where he sat at the edge of the bathtub and looked down at his near fully shaved legs, cringing. Jesus, his legs had some muscle in it so why do they look so fucking  _girly_? As Manny said, he barely had hair from the start... Ugh, they haven't even started the real thing and he was already getting pissed off and embarrassed.

"Done!" Luna said as she quickly rinsed his legs and dried them off, "Nice and smooth! C'mon, out, out, out! Here's some lotion, Jupiter, we don't need your legs to be dry and itchy. Genna, can you go grab the corset, bra, and panties?"

" _What?!_ " Jupiter screeched, spinning back around to face the couple.

Genna bursts out in laughter as she disappeared out of the door for a moment, "Holy shit- She's kidding! You should be fine with the boxer briefs you're wearing, they're short enough, and the dress we have has padding in it. The corset, though, she wasn't kidding about."

The redhead, although relieved, still grumbled as he finished up roughly rubbing the lotion in his legs. The only good thing that's coming out of this was how soft his legs are going to be after all of this. Standing up straight again, placing the bottle aside, Genna returned. Immediately, they went to work and Jupiter let them. What's the point in trying to stop them anymore? Might as well get this over with and repay his debts already.

The strangest choking squeak ripped out of him when Genna grunted as she pulled on the lace of the corset, " _Eurgh_?! What the  _fuck_ , you fucking piece of lesbian  _trash!_ " In response to his furious shout, she placed her foot on him for support and tugged again, which made him yelp louder as he felt his organs squeeze together painfully. Finally, the tattoo artist tied the lace and took a step back, wiping sweat away from her brow.

Manny gasped, ignoring how the man was coughing and trying to catch his breath as she ran her hands down the sides of the waist corset, "Girl, you are so curvy!"

"You- you fuckin' psycho sadists." He wheezed, slapping her hands away. "Y'all are gonna burn in hell, I'll tell ya that!"

"Oh, crapple-snapples, Jupiter, your southern side is popping out again." Manny laughed.

"I don't give a rat's ass, if it poppin' out or not, gimme a second to catch my breath before I go to kick Genna's lil' ass!"

"Quit being a big baby." Luna rolled her eyes as she pushed him out of the bathroom, "C'mon, cowboy, let's get you into the dress. Do you like it, by the way?"

Jupiter crossed his arms and looked down at the bed where the dress was laid out, pausing. He tilted his head slightly as he took a really good look at it... It was a nice black dress. A nice black  _wedding_  dress. He opened his mouth to give them all a few choice words, but snapped it shut. He shrugged.

This is for Legolas. This is for Legolas. This is for Legolas.

After quickly slipping him into the dress, they sat him down on a chair in order for them to... work their magic.

Jupiter remained in his seat begrudgingly with his arms still crossed, staying passive aggressive about the whole situation as they wipe and pat his face with liquidy and powdery shit, and shove a wig on his head. He's honestly surprised that he's come this far in this entire thing and hasn't flipped a dresser yet. Maybe it was because the corner of his mouth would twitch every time the girls would giggle as they talked amongst each other, listening to the pop music that was playing from Manny's phone.

Wait... Oh no, was he  _enjoying_ this? No, he can't be, that's dumb, he never wanted to do this in the first place so why would he start liking it now?

"Wow, you are so gay, Jupiter."

"What?" He blinked owlishly over at Genna as Manny curled the ridiculously long hair.

"You heard me." She said, finally finding the lipstick that she was helping Luna find and handing it to her, "You've been joining in our girl talk, smiling, and you're not even bothered by any of this anymore."

"That doesn't mean I'm as gay as you think I am."

"Look down."

Jupiter's eyes immediately shot down and he took a moment to realize how feminine he must have looked just from how he was crossing his legs. He quickly uncrossed them, huffing, "Still doesn't mean anything."

"Uh-huh. Luna, I'm gonna get ready real quick and once I'm done I'll take over so you can get ready, too. Manny, you almost done?"

"Yeah, I'll get changed right after I curl these last bits. I'll do the rest after I'm finished."

* * *

"They are taking quite a while, I hope Jupiter is alright..."

"Legolas,  _mellon-_ _nîn_ , that's the fourth time you have said that in the past hour. I am sure he is just fine."

Mirkwood's prince didn't know whether to argue or accept the answer. He will admit, he was getting extremely impatient. Usually, when Manny gets ready to leave the house, it takes her about half an hour, so why has it quadrupled into two hours? Surely, it could not take that long to do whatever they are doing to Jupiter... Or maybe it could.

Looking around, he can tell that the others are getting rather antsy as well. They have all agreed to go to this parade, and after being told what it was about and what will happen there, they all enthusiastically agreed. This is the longest that they have waited with nothing to do and they were all just so utterly bored.

All of their heads snapped to the staircase when they heard a pair of feet come down the stairs and they all blanched at the sight of one of them.

Genna and Luna stopped in the middle of the living room, the taller of the two raising a glittery eyebrow at them, "What?"

"Why are you a shiny man?" Sam blurts out.

Luna giggled as her girlfriend sighed, smoothing out her brown vintage suit. Genna's rainbow glittered beard and mustache sparkled in the light as she spoke, "I felt a little left out so I thought I would join in the cross-dressing... Or drag. Whatever you wanna call it." She shrugged, running her fingers through her slicked back hair.

"It suits you." Legolas said, smiling as he stood. "Did you do it all by yourself?"

"Yeah, you should have seen Jupiter's face, he was all like, 'Woah! The fuck happened to your face? Did a magical gay midget smear their shit on it or something?' I still have no idea why he said midget of all things."

Unwillingly, a snicker escaped him upon hearing the bizarre sentence being repeated to him. The others stood as well to join the three, "Are Manny and Jupiter nearly finished?" Frodo asked curiously.

Luna bobs her head, "Yep! She's just finishing his hair and doing final touches."

"Ah, yes, you never told us what has taken the lot of you so long." Boromir said, narrowing his eyes slightly, "The three of you have been up to something the moment you told us about this parade."

"I hope Jupiter has survived whatever they made him go through." Pippin muttered as Merry nodded solemnly.

"You're all so dramatic. It's not like we tortured him or anything."

"Fucking lying lesbo garbage! I've gone through hell for two hours straight!"

"Jupiter- Jesus- Be careful, stop stomping down the stairs! Not only do we not need holes in them, but we also don't need you  _falling_  off of them!"

Aragorn looked over at the source of the two voices and his eyes widen, "Oh my-"

"Wha... What have they done to you, Jupiter?" Sam whispered in horror.

"I have no fucking clue, but I feel extremely homosexual right now and I'm kinda liking it."

Legolas remained glued to his spot as his wide eyes looked at Jupiter's new transformation. It was a drastic change... A drastic, yet very pleasant and welcoming change. The girls have done such a brilliant job at doing what they had promised, that he was speechless. Although he was able to tell that he was a man rather than a woman due to having known him for so long - including the others - he was sure that it would take a stranger quite some time to realize that he was not a woman without hearing his voice.

His face had different kinds of product on it that gave him feminine features, making his skin appear flawless, his eyelids a dark color, and his lips a dark red. It was uncanny... And the  _hair_. It was very long - longer than his own. It was skillfully curled, half of it pulled up into a bun and the rest flowing... He had always wondered how Jupiter would look with long hair and he had to stop himself from rushing over to him just to caress the soft locks.

Jupiter seems to finally realize how Legolas was staring at him and he fiddled with his long, thin black veil that the girls vehemently refused to allow to cover his face. "...What? This is what you wanted so... Here you go." He said, looking at anywhere else but at Legolas. And  _no_ , he was not embarrassed. He was not embarrassed at all.

Legolas watched him shift on foot to the other, both dressed in two black high heels that seem much too tall, his black gown merely brushing over the floor. It was all entirely made of thick lace, the back of it long and the front rising into a skirt to reveal his smooth legs.

His eyes returned to Jupiter's face and their gazes met, bright amber eyes no longer blocked by glass. In an instant, Legolas was standing in front of him with his hands on his curved waist, his head tilting up in order to reach his lips. Jupiter immediately relaxed, his hand grasping the back of his neck as he kissed him back and brought him closer, nearly groaning in displeasure when the fake mounds on his chest stopped them from being fully pressed against one another.

"...And they're kissin' again. 'Course, they kiss! They always be kissin', I tell ya..."

There was an audible smack, " _Agh!_ \- Have ya gone mad, lass?!"

"You're ruining the moment!"

Legolas was the one to pull away in order to shoot a glare over his shoulder at the dwarf and Manny, although it wasn't for long since Jupiter turned his head back around to give him another open-mouthed kiss. The blonde looked up at him afterward, blinking, "I feel conflicted."

Jupiter grinned, knowing  _exactly_  what he was talking about. "Don't think about it too much, darlin'."

"You're right, you are still Jupiter, but..." Legolas swallowed thickly, "A little different."

The redhead watched the way his cheeks heated up, his bottom lip between his teeth as he looked away. The revelation of why he was reacting this way hit him like a ton of breaks. A wide smirk took over and he leaned his head down slightly to whisper in his ear, thoroughly enjoying the new height difference, "Tell me, Legolas... Do you have a little kink for this? Is that why you feel so  _conflicted_?"

"You-... I-... I don't know."

Jupiter chuckled deeply, stepping away and around him to approach the others who were patiently waiting, pointedly looking away to give the pair a moment together. "Hey, you guys rea-  _Shi- Fuck!_ "

All too suddenly, his luck with balancing on the high heels ran out and his ankle gave out. With a loud thump, he crumpled onto the floor, both his knees and hands hitting the ground. Laughter immediately erupted in the room. Grumbling, he allowed the chuckling, worried ellon to pull him back up on his feet, "You guys are dickheads."

"Here," Legolas laughed as he offered his arm. "I fear that you might fall again if you do not hold onto me...  _My Lady._ "

Jupiter snorted and hooked his arm around his, "Alright, let's get this fucking over with."

* * *

After twenty minutes of driving, they made it to a giant parking lot. Everyone was amazed by the sheer number of people that were also there, it was even more than the carnival! And Manny was not joking about the number of people who dressed as the opposite sex or provocatively either for their own comfort or purely for fun.

Luna made both Legolas and Jupiter lead them all through the parade. There were many booths lining the streets and  _lots_ of rainbows. Everyone was enjoying themselves, to say the least, except for the occasional man or woman coming up to flirt before being flat-out rejected. Even Gimli had a couple of big guys come up to him much to everyone's sheer amusement. The dwarf was not happy.

Legolas was not pleased with the fact that men and women alike approached Jupiter with no shame at all even though they can clearly see him tightly hanging onto the elf's arm, pressed against his side. However, it was utterly satisfying to see the scientist either flat out flip them off or brutally crush their hopes with only a few words. Of course, the one or two people who refused to give up hurriedly rushed away once they became a victim of Legolas's deadly glare.

Other than that, everyone reveled at all of the marchings and floats on the streets. All of the music and dancing, it made the Fellowship the most carefree that Jupiter and Manny have ever seen them. It came to the point where they no longer seemed to care what anyone was wearing or how scandalous people were being. Surprisingly enough, it seemed as if they were having pretty much the same amount of fun as last night.

At some point, Jupiter got separated with Legolas. Aragorn had pointed out a booth that had flower crowns and the elf was immediately drawn to it, taking his close human friend with him. The redhead shrugged, not minding it at all. He wanted Legolas to have fun with his friends, not be stuck with him the entire time - even though he loves being stuck with him.

"Hey, man, how're you holding up?" Genna greeted him along with an elbow into his side.

Jupiter smirked, punching her shoulder as his own form of greeting as well, "I guess I'm having a little fun. I mean all of this isn't  _too_  bad... Except for my feet- God, how do girls  _do_  this?"

"I dunno, I've never worn them before. Sucks to be you, I guess." She chuckled, "Anyway, I needed to give you something."

"Is it aspirin?"

"No, this."

The man looked down at what she slapped into his hand and he rose a brow, "Why are you giving me your keys again?"

"This trip was originally supposed to be your and Legolas's date, right? It's only fair that you two get to be alone together whenever you guys want to, so if you need to leave early take my car."

He blinked, "Wow, uh... Thanks? I mean... Yeah, thanks."

"No problem."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Someone suddenly shouted through a mic connected through speakers from an unknown area, "This is the last call for contestants for the drag competition!" The voice echoed throughout the area, somehow being able to be heard over both the music and chattering crowd, "The top ten contestants of the judges pick will receive gift cards that take twenty percent off of all items in this parade, but if you are lucky enough to win first place, you'll earn one thousand dollars!"

Manny skidded to a stop at the last exclamation and whipped around towards Jupiter, the booth that she was headed to no longer being her sole interest, "You. You are going to win that competition."

"What?  _Me_?" He shouted incredulously.

"Yes, you! C'mon, did you not hear what they said? A thousand dollars!"

"Okay, okay," He sighed in defeat, knowing that if he denies to do it, she will most definitely blackmail him in some way. "I'll do it..."

"I'll do it, too." Genna raised her hand, "I'm not passing up that much money."

"Great! Everyone, c'mon!"

Soon enough, Jupiter ended up backstage where the competition was. He knew he looked grumpy with his arms crossed and his foot tapping. He looked around to see that the entire room was full of people in drag, either dressed with a dramatic flair or more on the plain side like him. There was a small line leading up to what he can only assume was the host of the competition.

He was not a happy camper.

When Genna gave him her car keys, plans that he never thought he would be able to do immediately sprung up. He was about to go over to Legolas and give everyone some kind of excuse before spending some quality time with him, then take him back to the house early. Now, all of those plans are going straight down the drain.

Jupiter kinda wished that Genna was here with him right now so he wouldn't be as pissy as he is now, but she was in an entirely different line across the room for the drag kings. Now he kinda wished he said no, but again, Manny's blackmailing abilities were fucking horrific, so he was not risking it.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He turns around and blinks owlishly at the plus-sized, middle-aged drag queen who was looking at him worriedly. He - she? Yeah, he'll call them she - she was one of the drag queens who had dramatic makeup and an over the top outfit that he can clearly tell was supposed to represent a swan. It looked surprisingly great on her, "Huh? Oh, I'm fine."

She gave him a look, "Now, sweetie, don't lie to me. What's wrong?"

"And I should tell you, because?..."

"Clearly, you need someone to rant to. Spill."

"My friends. They forced me into drag and brought me here. It's not all too bad dressing up like this, my husband loves it, but I didn't want to be in a competition. All I want to do is spend time with..." Jupiter shut his mouth. Okay, he allowed himself to say too much, too easily.

"Girl, you know you don't have to do this if you don't want to, right? You seem like the type of person to not follow other people's orders."

"Yeah, well, the prize is something that my friend doesn't want to pass up and honestly, I think the same, but I doubt I'll win it. You obviously have a better chance of winning than me, I mean look at you, your outfit is fucking awesome."

"Aw, thank you so much, but you have just as much as a chance, too. You're the only one here in a wedding dress, it'll be a little more unique to the judges and not only that, you are absolutely gorgeous. I need to ask you this, though, what's more important? This competition or your husband?" She smiled brightly when she saw his scowl drop and she gently pushed him out of the line, "Go get your man!"

* * *

Manny furrowed her brows, "Genna already went up, shouldn't Jupiter have been on the catwalk by now?"

Luna shrugged, a small frown tugging her lips, "Not sure. Maybe the line is really long? The host did say that there were a lot of people backstage and needed a few more minutes to put people on the list in the beginning."

"I guess you're ri- Hey, where did Legolas go?"

Frodo blinked and glanced around him, "He was right next to me just a second ago..."

* * *

It was a bit difficult to find everyone.

Jupiter somehow managed to slip through the large crowd and pinpoint their location using his newly acquired height as an advantage. His journey to them was a slow and painful process - he was sure that once these heels come off his feet aren't going to look pretty - but it was a smooth one. Well, that was until some random person took a step to the side out of nowhere.

With an intricately woven string of curses, he began to topple over as his ankle gave out and just as he was about to bring his hands up in front of him to break his fall, a different pair grabbed his arms to pull him back onto his feet. Jupiter wobbled a bit as the stranger he nearly ran into apologized, "I'm so sorry! Are you alright, dear?"

The red head's response was instant, "No, I am fucking not, these heels are murdering my  _fucking_  feet!"

"Yes, I've heard they have a tendency to do that, but really, are you okay? I should have been watching where I was going."

Once Jupiter was sure he wasn't going to topple over again, he quickly got out of the person's grasp, he huffed, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for catching my a-"

It was a big mistake to look up and look at the person's face. He fucking knew that face.

He took a long, deep breath...

"Nope." He turned and walked away, returning to his journey. Jupiter was going to forget what just happened. He was  _not_  going to think about it. He was most definitely pretending what just happened never happened.

The scientist barely realized that he had sneaked his way behind Legolas and took a hold of his wrist, guiding him out of the sea of people without their friends noticing his disappearance until the elf was trying to tug his limb free once they were out of the crowd. "Jupiter, wait! Where are we going? I thought that you were participating in the competition!"

"Screw the competition. I rather be with you than do all of that shit, so fuck me for wantin' to be with you all the damn time."

"...Tempting, but we're in public."

Jupiter skidded to a stop, causing Legolas to nearly crash into him. The man gaped at the smirking elf before a startled laugh tumbled out of him as the words registered. Shaking his head, he let go of his wrist and properly held his hand, "C'mon, your ears must be bleedin' by now. How does coffee sound?"

"I do not think I have tried coffee, yet. Care to tell me what it is?"

"Seriously? Well, it's basically a liquid version of crack that can either be served hot or cold, bitter or sweet."

"Oh, how wonderful." Legolas drawled out blandly as they moved onto the sidewalk, away from the parade, and headed towards a small café, "I cannot wait to try yet another one of these 'crack' delicacies. Truly, I just simply enjoy being restless after a sitting of them."

"Jeez, fine, I get it, I'll just get you somethin' that's decaf." Jupiter said as they entered the establishment and was very glad to see that no one other than the employees were there. Luckily, they didn't seem all too surprised by his attire considering that a pride parade was happening right outside their window. After ordering two iced coffees - one caffeinated and one decaf - they sat down by a window.

The man rested his chin on his hand that was propped up by his elbow as he watched Legolas take a timid sip from his drink, "So?"

"It's... nice."

"Good." Jupiter took a drink from his own, "Ugh, I cannot wait to get this shit off my face 'n tear off this dress."

"Do not get  _too_  hasty," Legolas cuts in. "I think it suits you, although I must agree, I cannot truly see your face with all of those cosmetics. And even though I enjoy seeing you with long hair, I am starting to miss your  _real_  hair."

"So you're tellin' me that you got a kink for dresses, not cross-dressing?"

The archer sighed, a small blush dusting his cheeks, "You are not going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope, I mean, I don't mind it. I find it interestin'... Besides, you got your kinks, I got mine, I have no right to judge."

"Really, now?" Legolas looked so utterly pleased by this statement and there was a glint in his eyes that said that he was not going to let it go, "Do tell."

"I don't have many, so don't get too excited. Besides, it'll be interestin' if I just watched you try to figure it out. It's only fair. I figured out your's, you figure out mine."

The elf grumbled under his breath, silently accepting the challenge as he took another sip of his drink.

After that, they remained in companionable silence as muffled music filled the café. It was a relaxing change from the eardrum-shattering basses and shrieking and laughter from strangers around them. At some point during the quiet, Jupiter reached across the table until his hand covered his, the man's thumb running over the engagement ring. Legolas only chuckled, maneuvering his hand so that their fingers were tangled together.

Jupiter watched as the blonde brought their hands up so he could kiss the back of his, his smile noticeably widening at the sight. "Jupiter... Earlier at the house, when you mistook my words and said that you would drive us to the nearest chapel to have a ceremony..."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Were you telling the truth?" He whispered hesitantly, his eyes remaining on his iced coffee as his free hand rubbed away the condensation on the plastic cup, "About being able to, I mean."

"Well, yes." Jupiter furrowed his brows, "It's pretty easy to get a marriage license 'n hold a ceremony all in one day in this state. Why?"

"I... I think I would like that. Tonight."

The man froze, his hand stopping midway from reaching for his drink, "Wait, what?"

Legolas breathed out a sigh and looked at him properly, although it was hard to with a deep red covering his cheeks, "It would be nice to have a ceremony to make it... official and to continue with the tradition of marriage the Men in this world go through." A timid smile lifted his lips, "To also finalize it in a way, like all Elves. Even though we have done it out of order."

Jupiter silently stared at him for a few moments before slowly reaching underneath the table... and then carefully placing down a few pieces of paper along with a card paperclipped together.

"What in the-" The blonde grabbed the pieces of paper and his eyes immediately zeroed in on the plastic rectangle with his face on it.

"I know this sounds kinda creepy, but I've made a habit of carryin' that around with me for a few weeks just in case you accepted my proposal 'n you wanted to have a ceremony."

"But- Where- You know what, I think it would be best if I do not question it."

"You have chosen wisely." Jupiter then cleared his throat, "Anyway, that's everythin' you'll need to get a marriage license in order to actually get married. I.D., birth certificate, social security number, everythin'.  _Please_  don't ask how I managed to get all of this shit because it was done extremely illegally."

Legolas, quite used to Jupiter's secretive and dangerous ways of obtaining things such as this, nodded slowly as he stared down at the I.D. He swallowed thickly, "So, then... We are actually doing this?"

"I guess so, darlin'." The redhead grinned, "Time to let the world know that you're my husband."

"Can we be the bridesmaids?"

The pair jumped and snapped their heads over to the two women standing next to their table. Luna was smiling brightly at them both while holding Genna's hand, seeming unbothered by the prospect of them getting 'married' so soon. Genna, on the other hand, sighed deeply, "And here I thought you two drove off to canoodle, but nope, you're getting married instead. Whatever, let's go get everything ready before Manny and the others realize we disappeared."

* * *

" _You're_ what _?!_ "

"Legolas and I decided to get ma-  _What the fuck? No, what is that shit color combo?_  - to get married tonight. We already got our marriage license, now we just have to get our suits and go to the chapel - I'll send you the address later. Oh, by the way, how did it take you three hours to notice that we've been gone for too long? What if we were kidnapped?"

" _Hey, don't joke about that! It's not funny!_ "

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot I got kidnapped once. Oops."

" _Jesus- Anyway, what the heck, Jupiter?! When did you guys decide this? When were you planning to tell all of us?_ "

"Um," Jupiter had to think for a moment as he paused at a suit that was very pleasing to the eye. "Maybe like twenty minutes after I kidnapped him - oh shit, did it again, but it's true - and I was going to tell you right after but then Genna and Luna started dragging us around everywhere-"

Luna popped up behind him, waving at the girl's face on the screen, "Hi, Manny! Sorry for ditching you! Genna and I wanted to grab a drink but we caught Jupiter and Legolas conspiring with suspicious papers!"

Manny's shocked face looked between them for a few long seconds before she took a deep breath, " _You know what... I'm not going to even get mad this time. I better be your maid of honor, you nerdy piece of crap._ "

"You're the only one fit to be my best woman, Amanda."

" _Maid of honor._ "

"Fuck you, I'm a groom, you're going to be my best fucking woman."

" _...Maid of honor._ "

Jupiter looked over at Luna blankly, "She hung up."

The ginger-haired girl giggled madly before holding up the suit that he had been eyeing earlier, "I saw you looking at this one. Want to try it on?"

* * *

Legolas was ecstatic for what's to come.

Although this would not be an elvish ceremony, it was a ceremony nonetheless. It would complete the process of marriage for his people even though he may have skipped some steps, but who cares at this point? He certainly doesn't anymore. Going at their own pace - this fast, exciting pace - was thrilling and has made them both happy.

He was excited... But why was he so nervous? Why has he been feeling so utterly  _sad_?

He had been most definitely nervous when bringing up Jupiter's earlier statement in the café, but that had been when he was unsure of whether or not he had been serious or not. Now, however, he knew that Jupiter wanted this as much as he did. Hell, they have bonded, they love and trust each other unconditionally, and day by day that love is still somehow growing.

Clips of the past few hours ran through his mind. Jupiter nervously running his fingers through his freed hair, a forced smile on his lips, avoiding his gaze... It all fed his initial fears that he had shoved to the back of his mind. But why should it? There could be completely reasonable explanations for his anxious behavior! It could be that he was just nervous, like him, but why would he be nervous? He knows that he really wants this... Unless...

When Aragorn and Gimli walked into the back room where Jupiter left Legolas so that he could talk to the marriage officiant to make sure everything was in order, considering this is a civil ceremony, they were not expecting to find Legolas pacing with shining eyes. The elf's head shot up, stopping as they entered the room. They all stared at one another, unsure of what to do until Aragorn shook his head slightly as he moved towards him, "Legolas, my friend, what is wrong?"

Aragorn, Gimli, and the others hadn't been all too surprised by the sudden announcement of the two of them 'legally' getting married. None of them bat an eye, they all merely cheered and urged Manny to drive them to the chapel. They were all happy for the pair, especially the ranger, who had been the first to see Legolas upon arriving and had given the elf a tight hug.

"Nothing!" The blonde said a little too quickly, taking a moment to take a deep breath, "Nothing... It's just that... I-..." His bottom lip wobbled, "Estel, Gimli... What if he does not want to have a ceremony?"

Aragorn and Gimli looked at each other, shocked. The dwarf stepped forward as well, "That's ridiculous, lad! Jupiter isn't the type ta' go through all this effort and end up not wantin' to do it!"

"But he could just as easily change his mind. He could be hiding it because he knew that this would be the way I would react: crying like a weak little elfling!"

"You mustn't think that way," Aragorn told him gently. "Perhaps you should sit down, maybe you are just nervous..."

Legolas shook his head, "I do not need to sit down! I just need to... to think. I thank you for your concern, but I just want to be left alone for right now-"

"Gimli, Aragorn. Out.  _Now_."

The three of them whipped around to see Jupiter at the door with his arms crossed across his chest. No longer was he in the grand attire he was forced in - makeup wiped off and wig-free - he now wore a suit that had coincidentally been the same one that Legolas had picked out as well. Having no desire to change their decision, they kept their choices - a suit that had a mixture of navy blue, grey, and white.

The look on the scientist's face was one of unearthly calm, which was even more frightening. Golden eyes behind glass flicked back over to the fellow man and dwarf, and he stared at them steadily until they remembered what he had commanded, and they silently left. As soon as the door closed shut, the tension in the air grew thick and Legolas pointedly refused to look at him.

Jupiter slowly approached the elf and didn't stop until he was right in front of him. Legolas still didn't look up. "Legolas-"

"You heard everything I said, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

The blonde's eyes flashed up for a split second from the ground at him, "Then... then is it true?" He whispers.

"Fuck.  _No_." Jupiter said firmly with a twinge of anger in his voice, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Why would you ever think that?"

" _Stupid_? Well, what am I suppose to think,  _Jupiter_?" Legolas snapped, his voice suddenly rising.

"I don't fuckin' know, I don't know what goes on in your head!" At this point, it quickly became a shouting match, "I just don't understand what made you think that I would ever  _not_  want to marry you! What did I do wrong, huh?!"

Legolas laughed at the question, void of any humor, "Oh, so am I  _not_  suppose to have any doubts whatsoever when you are pretending to be happy?"

"I wasn't-"

" _Dîn_! Ever since we began venturing out to get the damn licenses and suits, you have been acting strange!" He jabbed his finger into the man's chest, his glare vicious, "You barely spoke a word to me, you just said one thing and then went off with some fucking excuse!" Tears were pouring down his face now.

Jupiter was clearly surprised by the harsh words spat at him and guilt washed over him in an instant as he watched the tears fall, "Legolas, I didn't- I-."

Legolas cut him off again, his voice strained and cracking, "You barely even looked me in the  _eye_ the entire time we were doing all of this! So tell me! Look me in the eye and tell me the truth, do you truly want to be wed?!"

"Yes, I do! I swear," Jupiter grabbed his shoulders desperately, "I'm just scared 'n really depressed 'cause marriage is all about spendin' the rest of your life with the one you love 'n we don't get that  _fucking_  luxury!"

This time Legolas was the one to be surprised-  _shocked_. Jupiter didn't let him say anything, "I've been actin' all fuckin' weird because of all that! Reality just hit me outta nowhere after I called Manny 'n I just- I didn't want to make you worry, but at the same time I didn't want you to know what was goin' through my head 'n I tried to forget that you're from a whole entirely different world, a goddamn fantasy trilogy, but no, every time I looked at you-..." Jupiter sniffled, "Dammit, I'm sorry, I went through the effort of tryin' not to make you worry, but I still fucked up 'n made everythin' worse... This is my fault, I'm so fuckin' sorry..."

Legolas stared at him sadly, all of his anger washed away as he pants softly, " _Pe-channas_... You should have told me."

"How was I suppose to when all I wanted was this night to be one of the happiest for you?"

"I..." The elf shook his head slightly, "I don't know what to say... I-.. I should not have yelled."

"No, I deserved it, okay? Tonight was supposed to be special, but I ended up pissin' you off, makin' you cry, makin' you worry, makin' you-"

Again, his words were cut off. Legolas cupped his cheeks and gave the man one of the gentlest kisses he has ever received, filled with such pure warmth that he copied him, wanting the elf to feel the same exact thing he was experiencing.

They break apart and press their foreheads together. "Our bond, Jupiter," Legolas began. "It connects us. When I leave, it will be stretched and strained, and we may feel the agony of it all, but we will still be connected. Absolutely nothing can split it, because we will  _never_  allow it, no matter how far away we are from each other."

A shaky sigh left Jupiter before he gave Legolas another long kiss, "You know..." He said as he combed his fingers through his blonde hair, "I think that's the first serious argument we've ever had."

"Yes, I believe you are right," Legolas chuckled tiredly. "I'm sure it was bound to happen at some point, especially with  _you_  as my husband."

"...I don't know if I should be offended or proud." They both shared a laugh, "Anyway, should I tell everyone to give us a bit?"

"Please."

Jupiter smiled as Legolas wrapped his arms around his waist, nuzzling his neck. Rubbing his back, he used his free hand to text Manny:

_Local Nerdy_ _Pyro : We need a few more minutes._

_Glutton_ _Bitch : K, ill tell the officiant lady. U guys, ok? We all came to check on you, but aragorn and gimli stopped us in the middle of the hallway, then we heard shouting..._

_Local Nerdy Pyro_ _:_ _Just a little fight. We're good now, I'll explain what happened later._

_Glutton Bitch_ : _Good._

_Glutton_ _Bitch : bet it was your fault hah_

_Local Nerdy_ _Pyro : Stfu, cunt._

* * *

When everyone saw Jupiter and Legolas come out hand in hand, ready to get married, they all relaxed. Despite Manny's reassuring words of them resolving the problem, the faint shouting had worried them greatly. From what they had seen, the pair has never fought before, it has only ever been little arguments over silly things like who ate the rest of the chocolate or who last had that one really good pen because now it's gone so whoever had it last lost it.

They all sat at the front pews, watching as the officiant, wearing a lovely dress, gestured for them to stand in front of her as pleasant - near silent - music played in the background. She was smiling brightly with an opened book in her hands and once she saw that everyone was there and settled, she cleared her throat and spoke loud enough for all of them to hear, "It is with great pleasure that we all are here today to witness the joining of two hands and two hearts of these young men in matrimony."

Legolas can feel his heart already pounding. It was silly how he was reacting this way, knowing in his heart that he is bonded to Jupiter. Unlike before when he was anxious over rejection, his heart pounded in glee and anticipation. Although it may not be a proper, elvish ceremony, it was enough for the Valar to witness them and to - hopefully - silently put their blessings upon them. From the corner of his eye, he glanced over to Jupiter and he saw an equally excited, yet nervous, smirk on his face. Perhaps his reaction wasn't as ridiculous as he thought it was.

"Lance Greaves-" The corners of Jupiter's and Legolas's lips noticeably twitched up more, "-and Jupiter Holo, we solemnize the commitment of lifelong love that you have vowed to each other. A commitment that you both have spent giving thought and reflection."

She turns her attention to their audience, "Lance's and Jupiter's respective families, together with friends, each of you represents an unwavering circle of love - a circle of love where you all care for each other,  _nurture_ , in times of our greatest joys and our greatest sorrows."

Jupiter couldn't stop the snort that left him, muttering a little too loudly, "Nurture my ass."

Everyone guffawed as soon as Legolas gave him a rather hard punch in the arm with a smile still on his face. The officiant chuckled to herself as the laughter died down, continuing in a much more serious tone, her expression going solemn, "At this time, we would like to honor those who could not be with us today. We offer a special remembrance of Lynx and Robin Holo, and Alaya Greaves. Although they are not with us physically, they are with us in our hearts tonight. Let us have a moment of silence to honor their memory."

The silence was stiffening, but all the same, everyone bowed their heads slightly. Jupiter reached over to Legolas and rubbed his shoulder soothingly all throughout it, until the officiant lifted her head, followed by everyone else. "The covenant of marriage is one that can be entered into only by persons who are both legally and spiritually free to offer themselves to each other. In the presence of all the witnesses that are present here today, I will ask Lance and Jupiter to state their intention."

She looked both of them in the eye, "Lance Greaves and Jupiter Holo, have you come here of your own free will and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in the state of matrimony?"

"We have."

"Hell yeah."

"Jupiter!" Legolas laughed out as everyone snickered.

The officiant smiled, "Lance and Jupiter, please face each other and join hands."

They obeyed easily, both of them relaxing under each other's touch. Jupiter's gaze did not waver from his eyes, quickly getting lost in them and almost missing what the woman asks, "Do we have the rings?"

Pippin and Merry skittered over to them with the pillow, both grinning widely as they tried their best at being careful. Unsurprisingly, they failed, but the wedding bands somehow managed to remain safe.

"Jupiter, please place the ring on Lance's hand and repeat after me: _I, Jupiter Holo..._ "

Jupiter picked up one of the rings and slid it onto the blonde's finger without looking away from him, "I, Jupiter Holo-"

" _Take you, Lance Greaves..._ "

"Take you, Le- Lance Greaves-"

" _To be my lawfully wedded husband..._ "

"To be my lawfully wedded husband-"

" _To love and to cherish, for better, for worse, for richer, for-_ "

"To love and to cherish, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward... until death do us part."

Legolas can clearly see the love in his gaze, hear it in his words. He was captivated by all of it and he felt so unbelievably lucky, so joyous, to have been given Jupiter. Without any hesitation, he copied him, picking up the last ring and sliding it onto his finger, perfectly reciting the words, "I, Lance Greaves, take you, Jupiter Holo, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward until death do us part."

On the pews, there were a few unknown people sniffling as they held back their tears.

Gimli swiftly and secretly wiped his cheek.

"Jupiter, do you wish to give a few words to Lance?"

The man immediately nodded and cleared his throat, "Legolas," He said, no longer caring about fake names. Everyone barely bats an eye, they were too soaked into the moment, "I just need you to know that I'm grateful for everything you have done for me. For dealing with my shitty attitude, my mistakes, my issues, for staying by my side, for being there for me when life gets difficult... I want to do the same for you. I want to support you, protect you, try my hardest to make you the happiest you can be... All of that and more, and I always will. I love you, so much, and that will  _never_  change."

The officiant turns to Legolas, whose eyes gleamed along with Jupiter's, "Lance, do you wish to give a few words to Jupiter as well?"

"Jupiter," He began. "My love for you knows no boundaries, just as I know that your's does not either. I remember the day that you revealed your secret: caring for me as more than a friend. You told me that you felt incomplete without me and I speak the truth when I say that more than anything, I understand that feeling. One day, one very far from now, we will never see each other again." Somehow, the difficult words slid off his tongue easily and tears did not fall, "But I know now that the future is not nearly as important as the present. During the present, I will continue to love and cherish you because just as I am your One,  _you_  are  _my_  One."

"Fuck." Jupiter whispered, wiping away at his eyes with his sleeve, trying to quickly compose himself.

"May you venture for the rest of your lives to meet this commitment to each other with the same love and devotion that you now possess." She closes her book and takes a step back, "And now, according to the laws of the state of Arizona, it is my pleasure to pronounce you husbands. You may seal your marriage with a kiss."

Legolas was the one to immediately pounce, cupping the man's cheeks and kissing him deeply. Even though the crowd was small, the Fellowship and women made it sound as if the entire chapel was full of cheering people. Jupiter wrapped his arm around his waist with his other hand settled at the middle of his back, dipping the elf slightly as he kissed back passionately.

It took a few seconds before he pulled him back up, the both of them breaking the kiss while grinning. They both look over to their friends - their family. Genna and Luna were politely clapping in their seats while the Fellowship and Manny were on their feet, clapping and whooping. They all even hugged each other out of excitement as Manny sobbed hysterically with her phone held up in her hands, indicating that she was recording the entire thing.

Jupiter smirked and turned to Legolas, "So is our last names going to be Greenleaf-Holo or Holo-Greenleaf?"

"Well, considering that you are the bride-"

"Jesus fuckin'- For the last fuckin' time, I am not the bride!"

* * *

"Jupiter Greenleaf-Holo... It has a ring to it, doesn't it?"

The redhead looked over at him blandly as he shuts the front door of the house, locking it, "Why is it impossible to hate you?"

"Because you love me, my dear husband."

Jupiter snorted and took a hold of his hand, yanking him towards him. Legolas placed his hands on his chest to soften the impact right before he was given a short kiss, "Are you hungry? I can whip somethin' up for the both of us, maybe light some candles, too?..."

Legolas thought for a moment before nodding his head but did not let go of him. Neither did Jupiter. The blonde closed the distance between them once more and gave the man a sweet, open-mouth kiss that had Jupiter humming contently. He reluctantly broke the kiss and took a step away from him, smirking pleasantly as a heated gaze roamed over his face, "I think I will have a shower while you cook."

Jupiter nearly groaned in dismay when he turned away and headed up the stairs, disappearing from view. Sighing, he dragged his feet to the kitchen. He had been hoping Legolas would stick around while he was cooking. Oh, well.

Upstairs in their shared room, Legolas had managed to figure out the mechanisms of the shower and stepped into it after sliding open the glass door. Hot water immediately cascaded onto him and a sigh of relief left him as he stood there for a moment, enjoying the warmth before he began properly rinsing his hair, grabbing the shampoo afterward.

It was no surprise to everyone when Jupiter and Legolas called it a night early. Genna and Luna had suggested for them all to go to a nice nightclub where they could listen to live music and dance, and everyone was all for finishing the night off with that except for Jupiter and Legolas. They did not directly say it, but it was clear that they wanted to spend more time alone.

They used Genna's car, of course, to get back. Not even once through the ride back did Legolas let go of Jupiter's hand, his thumb brushing over his scarred knuckles and newly acquired ring.

Rinsing the soap out of his hair, Legolas moved onto washing his body as he recalled what happened right before they began driving back to the house. Jupiter had openly contemplated whether or not he should tell everyone that knew him that he was married now, or just wait until he returns and they figure it out once they see his ring. The blonde had suggested that he do the same thing as when he announced that they were in a relationship.

"Everyone would be on my ass, though." Jupiter had winced at the thought, "Sayin' shit like, 'didn't you just start datin'?' Or bullshit like, '...aren't you too young? You're still in high school.'"

"Jupiter, my rose..."

"Yeah?"

"You can never make me believe that you of all people would care about what others say."

The man had paused at the sentence. Then he pulled out his phone.

Legolas did not mind Jupiter telling people that he was his significant other. If he could, he would scream it to the world, but this would suffice... Also, it was pleasing to see Jupiter openly stating who Legolas was to him. It made his heart swell and a part of him giddy knowing that he was Jupiter's and that Jupiter was his, and no one can ruin that.

Together, they set up the post. The very first picture was their hands held together, the moonlight shining through the windshield and reflecting off of their rings. Jupiter then used the picture he snuck during the fireworks last night. Legolas's face could not be seen, only locks of his blonde hair that slipped out of the hood he wore. The next was a picture of Manny doing the attitude position on stage during her performance, then a simple selfie of him with a laser gun, followed by a picture of Manny, Genna, and Luna grinning at the camera in front of a sign that showed that they went to the pride parade.

And finally, the video Manny took during the ceremony. They kept most of the footage private, only showing the part where the officiant pronounced them husbands and several seconds afterward. In the video, you can clearly hear everyone's ear-splitting cheers along with Manny's crying as she recorded Jupiter dip Legolas as they kissed. Jupiter made sure to edit the footage so that Legolas's face was covered with a heart sticker. For privacy, of course.

Legolas's smile kept growing wider and wider as Jupiter wrote out the caption. He has seen him share pictures many times, and he never really wrote more than two sentences so it was surprising when he had read over his shoulder:

_'This spring break has been the best days of my life. Not only did I get to spend time with my friends on this trip and have the most fun I've had in years, but I also had the greatest honor of marrying my husband. I never thought that this day would come so soon for us, but now I know that it came at the perfect time. What's the point of waiting when you know, truly know, that you want to spend the rest of your life together? It sounds like something you would hear in a fairy tale, but this isn't. This wasn't a spur of the moment kind of deal. This is something that we knew would happen and talked about, and I don't regret a thing. We are like any other couple, trust me. Right before our wedding, we fought due to some miscommunication. It's funny when I look back on it now because the fight only made us closer. I'm glad we had it because it goes to show that we're just like anyone else when it comes to being friends, boyfriends, or husbands. We're just a little more different._

_I love you.'_

No vulgar language, no insults...

And he had disabled all comments.

It was no surprise to either of them when Legolas kissed the life out of him once he finished reading it.

Legolas smiled at the memory as he stood underneath the showerhead, allowing the water to continuously rain down on him. Jupiter opening his heart in front of others to show just how much he loved him... It had been one of the sweetest things that he has ever done.

As these pleasant thoughts ran through his mind, he was completely oblivious to the shower door quietly sliding open.

* * *

Two men leisurely walked through the parking lot towards their car. Both wore casual clothing consisting of jeans, t-shirts, sunglasses, and hats. They had remained silent thus far until the shorter of the two spoke up, "Say... The woman in the wedding dress that you bumped into earlier, does she know you?"

"I'm sure that a lot of people know me." His eyes rolled underneath his sunglasses, "And he was not a woman, I heard his voice, he must have been a drag queen as well."

"No, you prat, I meant  _know you_  know you, as in  _personally_. She recognized you, but she just walked away!"

The man scoffed as he slid into the passenger seat of the dark car after the doors were unlocked and pulled off his baseball cap in order to free his short brown hair, briefly running his fingers through it, "I have never met her in my life if that's what you're asking. She could have just been nervous, who knows?"

"Yeah, if she wasn't, she would've been all over you. I was damn near ready to grab you and bloody sprint all the way back here like an Olympic track star before she made a ruckus, which would cause more people to recognize you." His friend said as he buckled himself in and started the car.

He threw his head back as a loud laugh left him, "Quit being so dramatic! You know I would've stayed even if that were to happen."

"Well, Mister Bloom, today is your day off and God only knows how much you need it. By the way, why a pride parade in Arizona?"

The brunette shrugged his shoulders, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled, "I had a feeling that I would have fun. And I did- Here, look," He reaches into his pocket with a hint of excitement, "I bought this while you were getting drinks!"

"What the fu- Orlando, why the fuck do you have a cock lolli? Are you not tellin' me something, bruv?"

"Why  _not_  get one? It's funny!"

"Everyday I question why I'm still your godforsaken friend..." He shook his head in disappointment as he pulled out of the large parking lot. He remained silent for a minute...

"...Do you have another?"

Another penis-shaped rainbow lollipop was silently passed over to him.

* * *

_**If you want to see the dress and a couple of the IG posts Jupiter did,[click here. ;)](https://imgur.com/a/y31bodY) (not too happy with the hand holding one, but oh whale.)** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meleth-nîn: my love  
> mellon-nîn: my friend  
> Dîn: Silence  
> Pe-channas: Idiot
> 
> The smut scene will be added to the collection very soon! ;)
> 
> bTW I HAVE NO IDEA HOW WEDDINGS AND MARRIAGE WORK SO I DID A LIL RESEARCH AND JUST STOLE A SCRIPT FROM A WEBSITE. LOL THANKS IDAHO WEDDING CELEBRATION WEBSITE.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and will have/are having/had a great time during New Years! As an apology for the wait, I made this chapter extra long, but the unfortunate part of it is that I had to rewrite a few things in the chapter, which made the wait longer.
> 
> *Sigh*... One of these days I'll actually post according to my schedule.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	43. XLIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Oops, it gets kinda angsty again.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

_Everything was blurry as if he were trying to see the world around him underwater, but rather than various shades of blue swirling around him, there was green, brown, and speckles of autumn colors. Although everything he heard around him was muffled - was that yelling? - he can hear his own shaky breaths clearly._

_He can feel his own hand clenching around something with a rough, hard material. An ache appeared in his limb, but not even for a second did he loosen it, he merely tightened it whenever the barely audible sound in the background rose an octave. Soul-crushing fear held him in a vice grip. He did not know what was making him so scared... He can feel hot tears streaming down his cheeks without any sign of stopping._

_He can hear his own heartbeat now. It was rapidly pumping in such a speed that it felt as if it was going to pop and he so desperately wants to know why he was so afraid. He wanted to shut his eyes and cover his ears while curling up into a ball. He wanted this to be over. He wanted all of it to just stop!..._

_His head moves on its own, looking up at a dark shadow that towered over him. Suddenly, the brilliant colors around him faded into a lifeless grey as he shakily stood up as quickly as he could. As clear as day, tiny, pale hands that were not his own shakily came up in his view, holding onto a dagger that was much too big for someone his size. The weapon was pointed at the shadow, violently shaking his mouth opened... He felt no vibration in his throat. The shadow's shoulders shook. It was laughing._

_The dagger in his hands was whacked out of his grip easily before what felt like a large foot slammed into his stomach. He coughed roughly as the pain rocked through his small body and he trembled as he pushed himself back up on his hands, desperately trying to scramble backward while keeping his horrified gaze on the shadow._

_A muffled, quiet huff left it, its shoulders no longer shaking. It raised something that it was holding in its hands and he flinched when he heard the tightening of an arrow being pulled back on the string of a bow as if it was done right by his ears. He could run. He could try to stand and run, but he was restrained, invisible tendrils pinning him to the ground._

_The shadow paused and looked to the side right before it switches its grip on the weapon, blocking another. Another blurry shape, one much smaller and more human than the shadow, attacked it, holding it off. The human-like blur looked at him and screamed something, but he couldn't hear. He knows they were telling him to run, but he couldn't. He tried tugging at his heavy limbs, yet they just wouldn't budge._

_The fight was quick and short. His savior sunk their weapon to the shadow's chest... Just as it sunk its own blade into her stomach._

_A scream ripped out of him as he watched the both of them fall and he finally,_ finally _, moves. Forcing himself to stand, he ran to the human-like blur as the colors of them shifted dramatically and he fell to his knees next to them, shaking their motionless body._

_His vision cleared._

_An elleth laid before him, her dress ruined by the blood rapidly seeping out of her wound and pooling around her body, coating the dry blades of grass around them. His sobs nearly deafen himself along with the cries of victory of who he knew were his people. His eyes trailed up towards the elleth's face, whimpering at the sight of her deathly pale skin and dulled light, ashy brown hair that flowed into waves right above her shoulders._

_They moved up to her eyes. Her once bright, dark blue were wide open, staring back into his._

_He saw his reflection in them._

_He saw an elf child with blonde hair before he was ripped away._

* * *

Jupiter's eyes snapped open as he shot up from the bed. Heavy pants escaped him as he placed a hand on his bare chest, feeling his heart pound beneath it in an irregular rhythm. He looked down at the blankets piled up on his lap as he tried to make sense of the dream he just experienced. He could only remember bits and pieces but... But it's been a long time since he felt that afraid.

He wiped his cheek angrily, "What the fuck?" He whispered harshly to himself. The nightmare had been so sudden and quick, piling these negative emotions onto him much too quickly. And still, he could feel the lingering traces of fear dancing within his body.

The scientist jumped when the bathroom door opened and he shakily watches Legolas step out of the steaming bathroom, clad in boxers and Jupiter's t-shirt. He was drying his damp hair with a small towel and Jupiter desperately tried to tone down his trembling. The effort was in vain though, since when Legolas looked up, he froze at the sight of him.

Legolas dropped the towel and rushed over to him without a word, climbing onto his side of the bed until he was practically sitting in the redhead's lap. Jupiter felt gentle touches caress his cheeks as the elf asked urgently in concern, "Jupiter, my rose, what happened? What's wrong?"

Jupiter only looked at him, bewildered. How did he know something bad happened? He had made sure he pushed down all of his tremors and wiped away all of his tears... Did he see it in his eyes? No, it can't, he was always quick to pull up a façade in order to not worry him or Manny whenever something like this happened...

"Jupiter?" He was snapped out of his thoughts at the call of his name. Legolas watched him worriedly, "Jupiter, you must tell me what happened."

"I-I-... Uh..." The man took a deep breath, "It was... It was just a nightmare."

"Was it about..."

"No, it was different this time." Jupiter's brows furrowed, "I-... I can't explain it, I was- I know I was s-someone else 'n... And I felt  _everything_  they felt. I can't remember what happened exactly, b-but I know I was a kid, but I was someone else as a kid 'n that  _woman_ -"

"Jupiter," Legolas placed his hands on his bare shoulders, " _Breath_. Look at me and breath."

A deep, shaky breath was abruptly sucked in and his breathing steadied slightly as his eyes shot up to meet his gaze. After a minute, he sighed, dropping his forehead onto the other's shoulder, muttering, "Sorry."

"Do not apologize." Legolas collected him in his arms, embracing him tightly, "You did nothing wrong. Would you like me to stay?"

"...No, I think I'll be fine." Jupiter lifts his head and caught sight of hurt flashing across the blonde's face before understanding settled on it. The first expression had caused an uncomfortable feeling to swirl in his stomach. He placed his hand on the back of his neck, damp blonde hair tickling the back of it as he pulled Legolas in for a kiss. "Don't get me wrong, Legolas, I always want you to be with me, but I need to think about this for a little bit. You know about the relationship between my dreams 'n me."

"I had suspected as much." Legolas said, the corner of his lips twitching. He tilted his head to kiss his forehead before he slipped away from him and off the bed, "Once I get dressed, I will make food for the both of us and bring it back up here."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

Returning back home to California was a great relief. The excitement and chaos they all experienced together the past couple of days were enough for all of them to collapse on either the floor or couches with a groan immediately upon entering the house. Jupiter and Legolas, however, were the only ones who were still standing, shaking their heads at the sight of them.

Unlike their friends, the married couple had returned home rather than go to a nightclub. They both had plenty of time to wind down and have a nice dinner before going to bed and also doing...  _things_  somewhere along the way, so they felt decently refreshed when they woke everyone up early to pack up. Jupiter had silently brought bottles of water and Advil to those who were heavily drinking the night before.

Since Jupiter was feeling particularly nice that day, he decided to make everyone lunch to wake them up a little more. Honestly, he still can't believe they're still exhausted from that long nap in the car. Even Luna was still sleeping when he and Manny came out to give her and Genna a proper farewell.

He made them all rice bowls that had a bunch of healthy shit he managed to find in the fridge that was still good. He grumbled in irritation under his breath as the spoiled fruits and veggies were tossed in a separate bag, tied tightly so the stench wouldn't slip out. He'll take it to the hag so she can use them as fertilizer for her crops.

Thankfully, there was just enough produce that was perfectly fine. Good, it should give everyone some energy to wake them up.

Just for shits and giggles, he had given everyone chopsticks. They all gave him a blank stare and he started laughing until Manny dropped her own, sticking her fingers into her bowl in order to shovel some in her mouth. He immediately gave them eating utensils that they can actually use.

Jupiter spoke to Manny after he swallowed his second bite, "Hey, so, the fridge is pretty much empty since a lot of stuff went bad."

"Not my problem."

Everyone snickered as he gave her an unamused stare, "Actually, it is. Empty fridge means no food. Wanna come with me to the store? I'll be dropping by the hag's farm to give her the rotten produce. How about you, Legolas?"

The elf nodded his head and the both of them look at the disgruntled woman. She sighed heavily, "Ugh, fine, if it's to see Esther... And only if Frodo wants to come along, too."

"I don't mind," Frodo says, looking a lot more awake now. "It would be nice to see her again."

"It's settled then. The rest of you gonna be alright or do you wanna come along?"

"It is best if we stay to train," Boromir said.

Sam, uncharacteristically, groaned, " _Train_? Why can we not sleep?"

"We all slept enough in the machine. Besides, when danger is lurking in the shadows, there is no time to rest."

Pippin and Merry huffed, muttering about how lucky Frodo and Legolas were.

* * *

After stopping by Esther's farm, they all immediately went to the store. Manny looked significantly better than when they all had left and was giggling with Frodo as she recorded herself making puns of foods she saw. Jupiter made sure to tell her that she wasn't Liza Koshy.

Two seconds later, a giant package of two-ply toilet paper rolls was thrown into the back of his head, followed by, "Shut up, I'm on a  _roll_!"

Jupiter elbowed Legolas when he snickered and received a punch in retaliation. Dickhead.

A kiss was pressed to his cheek instantly afterward. Fucking  _lovable_  dickhead.

In the midst of their shopping, Legolas was suddenly torn away from Jupiter's side by a hand grabbing his wrist and tugging him back. It was Manny, who slowed the both of them down so that they were far enough behind from Jupiter. Frodo was already walking next to the man, striking up a conversation once he got his attention.

Legolas rose an eyebrow to Manny, who only shot a smile at him before looking forward, "It feels like we haven't talked one-on-one in a while, Legolas."

"Indeed... Is there something that you wanted to talk about?"

"Eh, sort of." She shrugged, "I was just curious about how everything's been with you and Jupiter since I last spoke to you like this. I don't mean to, y'know,  _pry_ , but..."

The elf nodded in understanding and thought for a moment. It didn't particularly make sense that she would suddenly ask about this, or does it? He and Jupiter did complete their marriage last night, so it was understandable. Perhaps... "Manny, is this about the quarrel he and I had?"

She visibly winced, chuckling sheepishly, "Uh... Well... Jupiter said he would explain right after, but we never got the chance to talk about it. He looks like he's in a good mood so I don't want to bother him by mentioning it."

"So, you are saying that I am not in a good mood." Legolas teased.

Manny rolled her eyes, lightly smacking his arm with the back of her hand, "You're almost as bad as Jupiter,  _brother-in-law_. Anyway, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I didn't know if it bothered you, too, so I took a chance."

"Personally, I am no longer as upset about the matter as Jupiter may be. I think you made the right choice of not bringing it up or else he would have gotten sad again." Legolas stated, "It was a silly fight, really. I had been distressed that he was acting strangely nearly the entire time we were preparing for the ceremony. He would not look at me or speak to me properly... I did not know what I did wrong. I wrongly assumed that he did not want to complete the ceremony."

"Oh, crap." Manny muttered, grimacing.

That brought a small smile on his face, "He caught me telling Aragorn and Gimli that, then one thing leads to another and we were shouting at each other. I think that was the first time I have ever been so furious towards Jupiter."

"Did Jupiter tell you why he did all of that?"

"Yes. He had been thinking of how I would be leaving with the others in the future. He did not want me to worry and..." He trailed off.

"And he did a crappy job at hiding it and made things ten times worse."

Legolas nods, "We reconciled. He and I see the fight as something to learn from, and a time where we grew closer."

"That's... That's good." Manny sighs in relief, "I was a little worried. I knew you two made up, but I had to make sure you two were fully okay now."

"Even if we were mad at each other still, I don't think we could stay angry for very long."

"Hey, Legolas and sweet-cheeks, you want anything specific? We're about ready to go pay for everything."

The elf told him no while Manny quickly squittered over to the shelves and grabbed a box of Cap'n Crunch before tossing it to the man, who caught it and dropped it into the cart. Manny then excitedly told Legolas about what they all did at the nightclub and he listened to her intently, laughing and adding his word in as well.

As they stood in line at check-out, Jupiter glanced back at the pair who were snickering to themselves behind them before smirking down at Frodo, "Guess it's just me and you, Frodo. Looks like they're not finishing up any time soon."

"It makes me wonder what Manny wanted to tell him." The hobbit said lowly, careful for the pair to not hear him, "Do you have any idea as to why?"

"Nope." Jupiter shrugged as he heavily leaned against the handle of the cart, "So, I've been wondering... You and Manny. How's that going for the both of you?"

"Great, actually." Frodo lights up, "She and I have a lot of fun together, even if we are not doing anything. We sometimes do not agree with certain things, but we manage to get by it."

"That's good. No relationship is perfect, not even Legolas and I's."

"Ah, yes... I think we all fully realized that last night."

"I sure hope it did, or else I would be concerned for everyone's standards on relationships." They chuckled to themselves.

They both fell in a comfortable silence, well, as comfortable as it can in a long line in the midst of a large supermarket and a crying baby right behind the group. Jupiter looked behind him, watching a young man behind Manny try to settle his baby by setting down the store basket he was carrying and cradling the infant in his arms. He tried to gently sooth it by whispering to it gently, rocking it in his arms.

Somehow, this only made it worse as it squirmed and its cries became more ear-piercing. It was enough to even draw Manny's attention, followed by Legolas, who had been glancing over to the man and child with concern. All Manny saw was a tired, stressed young father trying his best at his job and she couldn't resist asking, "Sir, do you need some help?"

He looked up, startled. His buzz cut hair was grown out slightly, a stubble barely noticeable on his chin, and there were terrible shadows beneath his eyes, and somehow he had the energy to smile kindly at her, "Thanks for the offer, but I don't want to be a bother. She's been so fussy today and I still have no idea why, I've tried everything..."

"I really don't mind, I remember something I used to do when my little sister was crying like that. Is it okay if I?..."

The man was hesitant, understandably so, but then another shrill cry left the baby girl and he gave a short nod. Ever so gently, the baby was transferred into Manny's arms and the brunette gasped lightly as she stared down at the little bundle wrapped in a blanket, "Aw, she's so cute!... Such a pretty wittle baby doesn't deserve to be so sad-" She pulled out her car keys and lightly jingled them above her, cooing, "Look at the shiny keys! Wittle pretty keys for a wittle pretty baby!"

For a brief moment, the baby stopped crying, slobbery mouth opened in awe as her big brown eyes watched the keys. And then, all too suddenly, her bottom lip wobbled before she began wailing again. Legolas winced, "Shame... It had worked."

"Yeah, that's weird." Manny said, taking away the keys and pocketing them as she frowned.

Jupiter, who had been silently watching, sighed heavily beside Frodo, "Oh my fuckin'- Frodo, watch the cart." He slipped past the ringbearer so that he was with the small group, "I cannot believe you use to hold my fucking niece like that, Manny, you're lucky she was distracted by the damn keys. The keys, by the way, are a shitty tool to calm babies."

They all looked surprised by his sudden appearance and rant, "Here, give her to m- Hey, dude, is it okay if I give it a try?"

"Um... Sure, it seems like you know what you're talking about." The man still looked slightly unsure, but he was getting desperate at this point. It was painful to see his little girl like this.

Manny, annoyed, grumbled as she carefully passed the baby off to Jupiter. The redhead silently tightened the blanket around the baby - a newborn he realized - and silently adjusted his hold on her, telling the both of them, "Newborns calm down when they're swaddled, kinda reminds them of being in that warm-ass womb for nine months in the mother. And when you're holding it, you have to support the head, that shit is heavy as fuck for her. Did no one tell you that?"

"Oh, ah..." The man sheepishly scratched the back of his head as a frown tugged at his lips, "The mom... She... She never let me hold her. Things happened and now she's never allowed to see her daughter again."

"Sounds rough. Well, now you know how to hold her. Try looking stuff up online, too." Jupiter brought the baby closer now. Her crying has already lessened, settling to hiccups and whimpers. He rocked the bundle his arms slowly and gently, and Legolas watched in amazement as she quiets down completely, her eyes falling shut.

"Woah... That was quick." The stranger said.

Jupiter nodded, continuing his motions, "It's the little things that bother them sometimes."

Manny blinked owlishly, "I almost forgot how good you are with babies."

He rolled his eyes as the stranger chuckled, his face relaxed as he watched his daughter sleep peacefully. Legolas inched his way over to Jupiter, drawn in by the foreign, yet pleasant, sight of him holding a baby and the scientist carefully adjusted the infant so that the elf could have a look. The blonde couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face at the pudgy face, a cute little yellow hat on her head, "You are right, Manny, she is beautiful... May I ask what her name is?"

"Cana." The father said proudly, "She's nearly two months old."

"So young..." Legolas whispered as he stared in awe. This was the first time he had ever seen a man so young, having been born not too long ago.

"Do you want to hold her?"

The elf's head snaps up to the stranger and he shook his head slightly, "I couldn't. I have never..."

"Here, darlin', I'll help you out." Jupiter said, "Just do exactly what I'm doing, alright?"

Legolas nodded his head after a moment and the baby was transferred into his arms. He had trouble adjusting her but managed to comfortably copy the position Jupiter had her in without startling her out of her slumber. The elf's heart melted as he relaxed... She was so  _light_ and  _small_. It felt as if he was holding almost nothing in his arms.

As the stranger thanked Jupiter and Manny for their help, Legolas found himself smiling sadly. Being bonded with Jupiter... This was another luxury that they cannot receive. One that even if they were to remain together, would not be blessed with.

It made him wonder if Jupiter ever desired to have children of his own as well.

* * *

Jupiter ended up being so worried about Cana, that he gave the stranger - whose name was Anthony, Tony for short - his number in case he had any questions. Manny and Frodo teased him about it the entire way back home, but he had only smirked and shrugged, patiently responding that Cana reminded him of Levy when she was born.

Once they returned home, Jupiter made quick work of putting everything away and starting dinner - he still can't believe they had been out of the house for that long. Sam joined him at some point and both of them finished cooking in an hour. After they ate and watched a movie in the living room again, Jupiter announced that he needed more samples of everyone's blood. The room had fallen silent upon hearing this, but Legolas nonetheless stood from where he sat on the couch with Sam and Gimli and followed him to the lab. One after another he collected small tubes of blood.

He sighed deeply once it was all finished and the last person was out. Quickly labeling it, he went to properly store them all for him to look over tomorrow. After Legolas had his blood drawn, he had told Jupiter that he would be preparing for bed and would be waiting for him. He must have known that if he did not say that, Jupiter would have stayed up at an ungodly hour.

It didn't take long for him to drag his feet up the stairs, the house now swallowed in darkness. He made a b-line for the bathroom, doing his business and brushing his teeth before stepping out again to change. Shirtless and only in his boxers, he joined Legolas in bed.

The elf chuckled as he was hugged from behind, kisses briefly peppered onto his neck and jawline before they both settled, whispering good night to each other.

* * *

_He was crying._

_His own sobs echoed around him tauntingly as his agony tore through his body, it's disgusting poisonous claws sinking into his skin and scraping across his insides. It was slow torture that made his head pulse in pain with every heartbeat, his breathing ragged and short. His own tears made everything disorienting and he made no move to wipe at his eyes to rid him of his partial blindness._

_Through the blur, he can only see white and blue._

_Why... Why does his throat burn? Why does his stomach hurt so terribly?_

_He blinks rapidly and his visioned cleared slightly._

_Why does it feel as if poison was running through his veins?_

_Another sob ripped out of him and his body moved on its own. Both of his hands reached up to grip the edge of smooth ceramic. He coughed violently and he blinked again, the tears that were clouding his vision finally escaping._

_Everything was crystal clear. He was on his knees as his hands gripped onto a toilet seat and he was staring into the water. A disgusting liquid danced in it and partially melted blue and white capsules floated throughout it._

_Shock overwhelmed him as he saw his own reflection, the reflection not showing his reaction. It was as if he was stuck in his own mind. The_ other  _person's mind. "Why?..." A voice that was not his own rasped out._

_Amber eyes stared back at him._

_"Why can't I die?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umm... So... Yep. This was why I was kinda dragging on the trip and fillers xD Everything is gonna make sense soon, don't worry.
> 
> GUYS, BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
> 
> I just made a Discord server! I realized that it's kinda hard to announce things on all the websites I post on and I saw another writer do this, so I thought why not? The invite is: https://discord.gg/VXfRTPN It will also be on my profile. :D


	44. XLIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter talks about a specific mental health issue. I have not experienced it myself, but be aware that I researched it for accuracy.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Hey, Ju-"

"No."

"What the f- I didn't even ask for anything, yet!"

"Answer is still no."

Manny put her hands on her hips as she pouted down at Jupiter, "You're a jerk. And why in the frickle-frackle are you doing your homework?"

Jupiter's hand paused from scratching any more math equations into his notebook and slowly raised his head to properly look at Manny. He was genuinely confused. He had seen everyone - and he meant everyone, including Manny - go outside to do whatever. The men were training the hobbits, the dwarf was busying himself with tinkering on his ax, Legolas was training with his bow, and Manny had been stretching out on the ground, barefoot, for some reason. The lovely warm air and the light breeze gave him a sudden desire to do his homework. It put him at peace, in a way, hearing the clanking of metal and thumping of an arrow meeting wood in the background.

He felt that he shouldn't waste this chance of doing school work and actually enjoying it, which... Never happens. Does that happen to anyone at all? He doubts it. So, after making his decision, he grabbed everything he needed, sat on the bench swing with his bare feet tucked underneath him and got to work. And now Manny was interrupting his peace and quiet. "Um..." He blinked, "...Am I not supposed to be doing my homework?"

"I mean, you are, but it's just, y'know, weird seeing you do your homework without looking like you want to murde- Anyway," She sighed deeply. "I need your help."

Jupiter sighed. And he had been almost finished with the painfully easy algebra homework, "With what?"

"Just stretching. My instructor needs me all noodly like you are, so I need your help again."

"Can you quit calling me noodly?" He sighed as he set aside his books, standing up.

"Well, it's true. I mean, you were-"

" _No_ ," The redhead pointed at her sternly, "We do  _not_  mention the dark days."

Manny held up her hands in defense with a shit-eating grin, "My bad, I forgot. So?..."

The man grumbled as he snatched one of her hands out of the air before dragging her off the porch and back onto the lawn. The uncomfortable sensation of long, dry, grass beneath his feet made him grimace as he tried to remember the last time he bothered to cut the grass. Before he could even think too hard on it, Manny ripped her hand out of her grip and plopped down onto the ground, "Alright, noodle-nerd, work your magic!"

"Don't make me dislocate your knee." He threatened as he knelt down, grabbing her leg to begin one of the easier stretches. Manny only laid back and relaxed, letting him do all the work. He went easy on her at first before going further until she was taking steadying breathes as a slight burn appeared in her hamstrings.

In order to distract herself from the painful stretch of her muscles, she took a look around in the backyard, watching everyone train. Today's training was more laid-back compared to other days. It was a pleasant change in the routine and it lifted Manny's overall mood significantly as she watched Frodo pounce on Boromir from behind in retaliation of getting his sword stolen and also knocking Sam's sword out of his hand.

Her eyes trailed over to the lone elf a little far off when she heard the dull thump of an arrow hitting and embedding itself into the bark of a tree. The smile that had grown on her face shrank as she watched him heave a sigh... The arrow had hit slightly off from the middle. That's strange. Usually, he never misses. No, this was the first time Manny has ever witnessed Legolas shoot away from the middle.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Manny turns her attention back to Jupiter and she furrowed her brows, "Is Legolas okay?"

"I don't know, go ask him yourself."

"I'm serious, Jupiter."

A quiet sigh left him as his gaze trailed off to his husband, "To be honest, he's been acting weird since this morning. I asked him about it, but he kinda just brushed me off and said it was nothing."

His best friend looked at him and her frown deepened. She can clearly see that it was eating up at Jupiter, and she can see how concerned he was about it now that he wasn't hiding it. Manny pressed her lips into a thin line as she switched her gaze between the two of them before nodding towards the archer, "Go."

"What?"

"I said go. I can tell you're dying to join Legolas."

"Are you sure? We haven't finished your stretching-"

"It's fine. I'll just do the ones I can do by myself until Frodo is finished so he can help me out or something."

It took Jupiter a moment to nod as he set down her leg, standing up from where he was kneeling and heading straight towards Legolas. Manny smiled as she watched him walk away before concentrating on her task at hand.

Legolas shot the next arrow into the tree, relieved to see that it went exactly where he wanted it to go. He was surprised with himself when he had missed the center of the target beforehand while he was deep in his thoughts. It was frustrating whenever he gets like this.

It had all started last night when he was-... He was someone else. That person he saw, whose eyes he peered through, it was not who he saw. It  _couldn't_  be. Every time his mind flashed back to the glimpse of crimson and piercing gold, he refused to acknowledge it. He pushed it all away into the corner of his mind as he tried to make sense of what he experienced for the first time in his entire life.

He pulled back another arrow on the string, the tension of it whispering in his ear as he took his time adjusting his aim. Right before he released the arrow, his hands tensing, he saw from the corner of his eye a figure approaching him. Lowering his bow, he looks over at them and tensed upon seeing that it was Jupiter. Recovering quickly, a small smile appeared on his face, "Jupiter." He greeted with a small nod.

Jupiter smirked as he came close, kissing his cheek, "Hey. What have you been up to?"

"I am just practicing with my bow, it is nothing, really. Quite boring."

"Eh, I don't think so." Jupiter shrugged, looking over to the few arrows stuck into the wood, "I mean, you're a beast at all of this shit so it's no wonder you think it's borin'."

"...A beast?"

The man returned his gaze toward the elf who was looking at him as if he had three heads. He snorted, "Sorry, I meant that you're immensely talented at this whole bow 'n arrow thing."

"Uh-huh." It was clear that, that it still did not make sense to him. Jupiter couldn't blame him. "How about this," Legolas said suddenly as a twinkle of mischief appeared in his eyes, "Maybe I can teach you how to shoot an arrow."

"Wha- No, no, I couldn't, my aimin' is trash, trust me."

"Oh, come on, Jupiter!" Legolas grinned, nudging his arm, "It will be fun!"

"Ugh... Okay, but I warned you."

"It is worth a try. Trust me, when I was an elfling, my first attempt using a bow ended up with the arrow flying behind me." The ellon told him as he guided Jupiter over to where he had been standing and the man realized how far he was from the tree. Legolas seems to realize this as well since he pushed him closer to it.

"How... How does that even happen?"

"To this day I still wonder the same thing. It will be the one question I may never be able to solve." The elf said solemnly before presenting the bow to Jupiter, pressing it into his hands, "Here."

Jupiter blinked owlishly as he held it in his hands as if it was made of glass, fully aware of how precious this bow was to him. Legolas chuckled at the sight as he pulled off his quiver, "It may look delicate, but it has gone through many battles, my rose." He put the quiver on him, "How does that feel?"

He rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the new weight on his body. "I can get used to it."

Nodding, he took an arrow out of the quiver and helped Jupiter nock the arrow onto the string, explaining how to hold it and the process of shooting with it. By the time he was finished, Jupiter was decently confident in being able to shoot. It couldn't be  _that_  hard, all he had to do now was just aim and let go... Right?

Taking a breath, he pulled back the arrow, aimed at the target, and let go.

Jupiter's face turned into an impossibly bright red from pure and utter  _embarrassment_  when the arrow just flopped off the string and fell limply onto the ground a couple of feet in front of him. He swore that his ears were steaming when he heard the dwarf laugh at his failure from afar and sent him a withering glare. Why was he watching anyway? Fucking prick, he bet Gimli wouldn't laugh if he had a go at it.

Legolas grinned, but not because of his pathetic attempt to shoot the arrow, it was his reaction that made him smile and nearly laugh. From what he can recall, there have been many times that he had gotten the man to blush wildly, but he has never seen Jupiter's face turn such a shade of red before, including his ears. He enjoyed the sight. It was... It was endearing.

He shook his head to himself and his grin was reduced to a neutral smile. "Try again."

Calming down a bit, the scientist nods and pulled another arrow out of the quiver before nocking it on the string - with some trouble - and pulling it back. Before he could even let go, his eyes widen in surprise when a warm body came up behind him and arms slid around him to reposition his arms, "Do not be afraid to pull it back farther." Jupiter swallowed thickly, nodding. Damn, he was so  _close_.

Legolas was having a similar problem with the close proximity. He enjoyed it tremendously and all he wanted to do was remain where he is with his arms wrapped around Jupiter, but he forced himself to concentrate at the task at hand. This was not the time to seduce Jupiter. His heart thudded in an irregular rhythm as he watched the man focus his eyes on the target.

Jupiter had difficulty focusing as well. Who wouldn't when they had the hottest elf known to man draped on his back? It took every cell in his being to keep himself from trembling.

" _The arrow should be tilted up more..._ "

"Okay." He nodded his head slightly as he did just that and once he had adjusted, Jupiter realized how far off he had been before.

Confusion washed over Legolas. Did he say that out loud already? He swore he was thinking it before he planned on telling him. Before he could think too much about it, Jupiter let go of the arrow and it flew straight towards the target, hitting the edge of it. "Holy shit!" He bursts out.

Legolas smiled, not bothering to step away any time soon, "See? Not too difficult."

"Well, you did help me out." The man paused, "Mind helping me again?"

"Gladly."

As he assisted the man once more, reveling in the reactions he received as he left lingering touches and feathered kisses on his neck, Legolas was barely able to recall what had been troubling him in the first place.

* * *

It took a while before Jupiter accepted that he was a lost cause when it came to shooting with a bow and arrow. Okay, he may have been able to hit somewhere on the tree with Legolas's help, but when he does it all by himself... Well, at least it doesn't flop onto the ground anymore.

He had then decided it was high time to focus on the blood samples that he had collected. The hours flew by as he took his time examining each sample, estimating the amount of charged cells that were now in the blood, and as he was finishing up the last samples, he barely heard the door opening and closing. However, he did notice the sound of a textbook being placed down and he glanced behind him to see that Legolas was at the lab table, silently reading through the book in order to occupy himself while presumably waiting for Jupiter.

His sour mood from seeing the results he had so far lifted at the sight of the blonde and he resumed to his own work. He went at a slightly faster pace this time and it didn't take a terribly long time before he was all done, putting everything away before properly recording everything in his notebook.

Shutting the notebook, he leaned back in his seat with a long sigh before spinning around in his chair and giving a tired smile towards his husband, "Sorry about that. Didn't think you would come down here."

Legolas looked up, closing the textbook as he stood, "There is no need to apologize. I can tell that you are not in the greatest of moods, so I thought it best not to distract you."

"But I feel a lot better when you're here with me. C'mere." He held out his hand.

The elf walked towards him and took a hold of it before being pulled onto the other's lap. Legolas gave him a short kiss as arms wrapped around his waist and he laid his head on the other's shoulder, "What did you find?"

His smile slid off his face, "Well... The rate at which the charged cells are decreasing is slow. The last time I checked, it was about eighty percent and now it's seventy-six percent. The rate might change, but..." He shrugs.

Legolas nods with a frown of his own and tried thinking of a subject to change to, but instead, his mouth moved on its own, "Jupiter, I'm sorry."

Perplexed by the sudden apology, Jupiter blinked at him, "Why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong."

"No, I don't mean-" Legolas took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why he was bringing this up now... But the  _guilt_ , the  _curiosity_ , the  _fear_  was consuming him. It has been all day long, "This morning, I was not acting like myself and I told you that it was nothing. I... I should not have lied to you."

" _Hey_ ," Jupiter lifted up Legolas's head so he can properly look at him even though the elf was avoiding his gaze, "It's fine. Even though I would appreciate if you tell me when something's wrong so I can help in any way I can, you still don't have to tell me. I've been waiting for you to bring it up again when you were ready, even though I was worried sick and dying to know what was bothering you."

Legolas nodded slowly and gathered his thoughts as he slipped out of his hold, standing up in front of him as he crossed his arms, biting his bottom lip. Jupiter waited patiently as he opened and closed his mouth, rethinking what he is going to say before settling on asking, "Jupiter... Do you think it is possible for an elf to dream?"

"Um..." Jupiter took off the safety goggles that were resting on his forehead, setting it on the computer desk behind him, "You told me that Elves rest in a way that's similar to meditating. Technically, that isn't sleeping and there is a whole entire process to get to the point of dreaming that Elves definitely do not go through, so no, I don't."

"That's funny to hear because I think I had a dream last night."

Jupiter stared at him blankly. His brows then furrowed, "What? Are you- What?"

"My reaction exactly." He chuckled humorlessly, "But, for some peculiar reason, it wasn't exactly a dream. I don't know how to describe it, but even though I have never experienced one before, I know it was not right."

"Please tell me you remember what you saw."

"A little. It was-..." Legolas breathed shakily, "I-... I still feel like my mind is playing tricks on me. What I saw... Jupiter, may I ask you something?"

The answer was instant, "Yeah, of course, anything."

"Was there a time in your life where you... you-" The elf uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists at his sides. Why couldn't he just say it? Just say it!

Jupiter lifted himself up from his seat and stood in front of Legolas, lifting his hands up in order to cup his cheeks. The elf's bottom lip wobbled as he took in another shuddering breath, raising his own hands to grip at his wrists, "Jupiter, have you... Have you tried to take your own life?"

All at once, the man's entire body went impossibly rigid. Legolas watched his entire face drain of all color along with his eyes blowing wide in horror as soon as the words left his mouth. Legolas shook his head as his vision blurred, trying his hardest to blink away the tears, "I knew it."

"No- That's not- Legolas, this has nothing to do with your dream."

"It has  _everything_  to do with my dream." He said fiercely, his gaze on him unwavering, "I was looking through your eyes, staring back at your reflection in the water with capsules floating in it and you were crying... I felt  _everything_."

The shock that was going through Jupiter rendered him speechless as Legolas continued on, "I felt so empty and tired as if I could not do anything, as if I was  _worthless_. The anguish, the burning  _pain_  that was going through me was unbearable and I wanted nothing more than want it all to stop!..." He let go of his wrists and grabbed onto fistfuls of his lab coat, "Jupiter, I heard you ask yourself, ' _Why can't I die?_ ' Explain to me. Tell me why you would ever want to... t-to..."

"How can you... How were you able to-"

" _Tell me_!"

Jupiter flinched and he hung his head as guilt and  _shame_  washed over him. He didn't want Legolas to find out about this. He never did. He was still ashamed of that rash decision he made and the very thought of the whole ordeal haunted him to this day. "I didn't want to tell you this, because I knew it would make you like this. It was so long ago that I thought it didn't matter anymore, but I guess my past always seems to bite me in the ass..."

The man frowned deeply, "I shouldn't have done it. I know, but back then, the thought of dying was pure fucking bliss. I was fourteen, a year since my parents died. I was still on the horrendous amount of antidepressants at the time and even though they were keeping me in that shitty mental prison, I still felt the  _urges_  to just give up. Hell, the medication probably just made it all  _worse_."

"Then you..."

"Yeah. Legolas, I never told you what I was diagnosed with back when I was younger. I had clinical depression. It's when someone is constantly in a depressed mood and loses interest in everything, which affects their life dramatically. It can make them not want to do anything at all and wallow in the grief 24/7... And worst case scenario, give them thoughts of suicide." He shrugged, "I'm better now, obviously, but it can always come back."

"You still should have told me this, Jupiter. Maybe not now, but at some point. When you have something this important to tell me please let it be later rather than never... Knowing now that it has been a part of your life that has forever clung onto you..."

"I know and I'm sorry." Jupiter sniffled, "I just thought that-"

"I understand."

Jupiter knew he understood. Of course, he understood and he was glad that he wasn't angry by something that his idiot-self did when he wasn't thinking straight.

The man gazed back into blue eyes and was hit with a wave of memories of one particular dream, "Legolas, I still have no idea how the hell you saw all of that, but I don't think it was a coincidence or some random magical vision thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember back in Arizona, before we left, I woke up from a nightmare?..."

Legolas nodded his head, "Yes. Wait, do not tell me it was..."

"I witnessed your mother's death, Legolas." Jupiter said quickly, "I couldn't remember before, but when you said you understood and when I looked at your eyes I thought back to when you told me about it, then all of it came rushing back- Fuck, I couldn't believe it, but after what you just told me..."

"Tell me what you saw, Jupiter."

"Are you- are you sure?"

"Yes, I need to know."

Jupiter nodded his head once. He didn't want to tell him, he didn't want the tears he saw in his eyes spilling, but Legolas needed the confirmation. To know that this was real. "Everything was blurry, but I was hiding somewhere and I was holding a dagger. I remember that there was shouting somewhere far off and... and out of nowhere this shadow appeared, and it just hit the dagger out of my had and kicked me, laughing." He watched as Legolas paled similarly to how he did moments ago, "Then someone attacked it before it can kill me. They fought and the thing was stabbed in the chest while the other person was stabbed in the stomach... I screamed and I ran to the person that saved me. They were a woman, an  _elf_. I was able to see clearly at that point. She had... um... This really light brown hair, like ash, and she was  _staring_ with your eyes-"

" _Okay_ , okay, I... I believe you." Legolas cuts him off and he leaned heavily against him.

Jupiter embraced the elf tightly, nuzzling into his neck as he rubbed his back soothingly, "This sucks." He muttered.

"I agree. I was not expecting for our day to lead to all of this. Now all that is left to do is find out why we saw through each other's eyes in our pasts."

"Well, the obvious answer would be magic, but that still doesn't explain anything. I highly doubt it has anything to do with the whole blood thing, so we can scratch that off our slim list."

"I feel as if we already know the answer."

"Yeah."

They remained like that, staying silent as they reveled in each other's presence. The earlier distress they had been feeling was slowly being melted away and replaced by confusion. The answer to the questions bombarding their minds was right in front of their faces, but they still couldn't see it. They both knew what it was, they could just feel it.

" _Just why_ _? Why is this happening? There has to be a reasonable explanation. We relived each other's most horrid memories. It just... It just isn't possible... How?..._ "

"Of course, it's possible, Legolas." Jupiter muttered after hearing his sudden exclamation, "You're here, isn't that proof enough that this kind of shit can happen? I don't want to believe it either, but there's a time where we have to accept the weird shit that happens to all of us."

There was a beat of silence, "Jupiter..."

"Hm?"

"I... I didn't say anything."

Jupiter furrowed his brows after hearing that and lifted his head, pulling away slightly to look at his husband properly. "What do you mean? You literally just asked why all of this was happening and how this isn't possible."

"No, Jupiter, you don't understand." Legolas shook his head with wide eyes, gripping his shoulders, "I did not say a word. What you thought I said... I was  _thinking_."

"No, you're bullshitting me." Jupiter said, incredulous, "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not, it-" Revelation struck him, "It all makes sense now!" He stepped away from him in order to pace back and forth in front of him as the immortal explained, "This was not the first time something like this has happened. It was after we had bonded did it all begin. The morning after it, I opened my eyes when I awakened. I had been  _sleeping_ , but how could I possibly not have noticed until now? I was even able to feel your soul with mine beneath my hand a-and that same day! When we were competing in laser tag, we had kissed and everything that I had felt  _doubled_. A-And the night of the ceremony! I had thought it was so strange when I felt so sad and anxious even before the thought of you not wanting to marry me popped up in my mind!-..."

"Legolas!" Jupiter interrupts him, surprised by his frantic rambling, "What are you going on about?"

"Think about it, Jupiter." Legolas told him and the scientist was even more bewildered when he saw nothing but pure elation on his face, "It does not happen often because we still have no control over it, but  _think_. Think of every strange thing that has happened to us both after we bonded. Jupiter, you heard me through my  _mind_."

The redhead looked down, rapidly going through the memories of which he was able to pick out from Legolas's earlier fast-paced explanation. It seemed like he was taking too long to fully understand and comprehend it since Legolas came closer to him again, took a hold of his hand, and pressed it flat against his own chest. His excited tone had calmed into something softer, sadder, "Can you not feel me,  _meleth-nîn_?"

Jupiter's gaze connected with Legolas's and he can clearly see the barely hidden fear-

_God, why does he feel so damn happy?_

The strong heartbeat thudding beneath his hand in a concerning speed-

_He can feel something warm and familiar swirl beneath the other's chest. Every little shift he made caused a tug in his own chest and he felt a similar sensation in the other's as well._

He was in a daze as his body relaxed, his forehead pressing against Legolas's as he used his free hand to grasp the back of the elf's neck, concentrating. A breathless laugh left him as the warmth spreads through his hand. It was ticklish. It was... He couldn't describe the tender sensation that had been beneath his hand and was now curling around it in a protective manner.

「 _...I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..._ 」

A shaky breath was sucked in. Legolas's mouth wasn't moving, but Jupiter can hear the words filtering through his ears as clear as day, into his goddamn  _head_. A euphoric sensation went through him hearing his voice like this, being  _connected_  like this... "What the fuck?" He whispered. It was overwhelming being this close to him and he didn't know what to do with himself other than to just pull him closer, because somehow it  _still wasn't close enough_.

「 _Legolas..._ 」

"I can hear you," Legolas said, a watery smile in place, "Thank goodness!... I was afraid that I couldn't!..."

"Legolas, I need answers." Jupiter whispered, "This is fucking amazing and everything, but it's kinda freaking me out."

"Do you remember the story that I told you a long time ago? About the elleth and ellon that were blessed by the All High himself?"

Jupiter's eyes immediately widen and his heart sped up. What he had been hoping this whole time, wishing for it to not be a myth... "No..." Tears rapidly formed in his eyes, " _Holy shit._ " He sobbed out, "Holy  _fucking_  shit." The man barely gave Legolas any time to prepare for the kiss that he put upon him, driven with passion and the joy that doubled instantaneously.

He felt Legolas cling onto him, kissing him back with just as much intensity as he touched everywhere he could. He felt like a complete and utter idiot for not realizing the signs... For not noticing that the repetitive dream of his One was a clear show of it all. There may be questions that still need answering, but he didn't care.  _They_  didn't care. Knowing now that the love they have for each other is like no other... It was inevitable that they were not letting go of each other any time soon.

「 _Fuck, I love him. So perfect, so beautiful, so amazing... My One... My only... My everything... All mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine,_ mine _..._ 」

Legolas briefly pulled away, his fingers tangled in crimson hair, his lips brushing over his husband's as he whispered, "Yes, I'm your's, Jupiter-..." Jupiter cuts him off by locking their lips together again, his tongue slipping into his mouth easily. It took a lot of effort to concentrate and finish his sentence:

「 _...Just as_ you  _are_ mine _._ 」

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meleth-nîn: my love
> 
> I wrote this at 3 am so sorry if this shit doesnt make sense oof
> 
> Btw I didn't do the whole "「" "」" thingy at the beginning since it would have been a dead giveaway of what was coming up - ah, well, you probably figured it out anyway ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. :D
> 
> Discord: https://discord.gg/VXfRTPN
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	45. XLV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Hear anythin'?"

"I am afraid not."

"You sure?"

"Yes, Jupiter."

The man groaned dramatically as he fell back from where he sat across Legolas with his arms splayed out, "This is hard."

It has been nearly a week since discovering that an old fairy tale wasn't actually a fairy tale, and with Jupiter's spring break finally over, they have yet to fully grasp their newly discovered...  _abilities_. Although this was great and everything, this was the freakiest thing that has ever happened to him. The whole situation was just... bizarre. A nice bizarre, though.

Almost immediately after the drama went down in the lab, they had barricaded themselves in their room for nearly the rest of the day in order to try to figure this whole telepathy thing out. They both quickly found out that this entire learning process was going to be a challenge.

Throughout those days afterward, they discovered that it was slightly easier to 'connect' when they are touching and much easier when they are being intimate. It was relieving to find that there were ways to make it simpler for the both of them, but they were adamant in perfecting this without those aids. So, whenever they could, they would try to speak through the connection. Be it while with their friends or working in the lab, they took every chance they got.

Unfortunately, the strain they put on their 'connection', trying to speak to each other through it, gave them rather nauseating headaches.

There were rare times where they had succeeded, but they were mostly accidental. The first accidental one was when Jupiter had been sitting across from Legolas at the lab table, leaning his head on his propped up hand, and thoughts of how adorable he looked when focusing on his work filtered into said elf's mind. Jupiter still remembered the way his pencil abruptly stopped writing, his head snapping up as his eyes blew comically wide before he nearly climbed over the table to kiss the life out of the man.

The second time was when Jupiter somehow got dragged into sparring again, but this time with Aragorn. Somehow, with luck on his side, he had managed to pin him down using pure strength and a couple of tricks up his sleeve that he had not used on Legolas - which left the ranger unsuspecting. Then, while he was smirking with triumph as Manny knelt next to them while slapping her hand on the ground while counting down, he heard it.

Dirty thoughts from a horny elf that had thoroughly enjoyed watching how he used his strength to take his opponent down. The sight of Jupiter panting and sweating afterward apparently riled him up as well, feeding his thoughts.

Jupiter had been alarmed by the voice in his mind and looked over at Legolas, who was in a daze as he silently watched him. Before Manny could even get to number three, the scientist let go of Aragorn, stood, walked over to Legolas, picked him up bridal style, and rushed inside the house.

Legolas sighed with an affectionate smile glued onto his face. He can tell that Jupiter was lost in his thoughts again, which he didn't particularly mind. Seeing the pout on his face as he laid on the bed in front of him, shirtless, was enough for him to have trouble keeping himself from grinning like a fool. He expected himself to no longer act this way after so long, especially now that they are bonded, but it was still the little things that had Legolas feel like a young elleth madly in love, embarrassingly enough.

It was extremely early in the morning and was nearly time for Jupiter to begin his morning routine in order to get ready for school, so Legolas thought it was best to pull him out of his thoughts so that they can make do with what little time they have for the day. Crawling closer to him, he managed to maneuver himself so that he was straddling his hips.

Jupiter immediately snapped out of it, his eyes refocusing as he lifted his head up slightly and propped himself up with his elbows. Legolas reached out to him and pressed his hand against his chest with fingers splayed out, "I know this is difficult, but we must keep pushing forward."

"Yeah, but, I feel like we barely made any progress. We've been practicin' nearly nonstop 'n we've yet to do the whole telepathy thing on purpose. Shit, what do we even  _call_  this?" Jupiter huffed out a small laugh, "I'm gettin' a bit tired of callin' it ' _telepathy thing_ '. Hell, I barely know how it even works."

"Well..." Legolas said thoughtfully as he gently pushed Jupiter until his back was resting against the soft blankets again, following after him, laying down on top of him with his head resting on his shoulder. "I have been thinking much on how exactly it all works. I have narrowed down that this specific connection focuses more on how we further interweave it in order to communicate. Think of it as..." He took a moment to think before pointing to his own hair, "A braid. After you begin weaving the three locks of hair, you cannot simply go in random directions and force it to be tied together or else it will be uneven and tangled, or just fall loose. However, if you take your time and weave it with the same pattern, it will stay locked together neatly and can be easily taken out with some effort. And when you practice braiding more, the more effortless it will be to do."

"I think I understand." Jupiter muttered as he held the elf against him, "All this time we've been tryin' to force our... our  _link_  to weave together, but it would either fall back into its original place or it would be so tangled together that the link is forced to yank itself free, which could be the cause of those damn headaches." The man looked down at Legolas, amazed, "I'm impressed, Legolas."

His husband shrugged, "I try."

Legolas felt the vibration of his deep chuckle before a kiss was pressed to the top of his head, "Now, all we gotta do is test it out. The question is how do we even begin?"

Jupiter faintly felt a twinge of foreign mischief within him as Legolas lifted himself up. The strange feeling was perfectly reflected in the elf's eyes as he leaned over him, his platinum blonde hair creating a curtain around them, "We can start by doing this." And then the next thing he knew, lips claimed his and a low moan escapes his throat as his scarred hands gripped onto the other's hips.

What a lovely beginning.

* * *

"How are you holding up, you gay disaster?"

Jupiter scowled over at his best friend, who was eating the lunch that he packed for her, with his arms crossed, "I am fan-fucking-tastic. Jesus- Why did I share that post again?"

Manny stopped mid-chew of the giant mouthful of lettuce leaves she shoved into her mouth, "Erhm... So everyone knows that your homo-ness isn't a joke?"

"No, not just that." He hummed thoughtfully before nodding firmly, "Ah, yes, so I wouldn't have to deal with this  _bullshit_  later on when they all figure out what my ring is and so everyone can stop trying to get in my pants."

"Also because you love Legolas."

"That too."

A miserable sigh left the redhead as he scanned the cafeteria for the fifth time. They were still staring. He can just feel the buzzing of their want to approach him and question him, but the only thing that was keeping them from doing so was the glare directed at all of them. It's not surprising at all, honestly. He's the only student in this school who is  _married_  so of course, everyone would be curious about it.

"Hey, so..." Jupiter turned to Manny, "Y'know how I had to redo a grade back in middle school because of therapy?"

"Yeah, which makes you a junior." She deadpans, "I am above you, peasant."

"Uh-huh, well, I've decided to graduate early."

Manny nearly inhaled her carton of milk, coughing violently before throwing back her head and laughing hysterically. Jupiter's scowl deepened as he elbowed her side, which somehow made her laugh harder and to start wheezing, "Y-You!... Graduate!...  _Early_?!"

"Yes. I mean, it doesn't look like it, but my GPA is fine and my grades are only slightly screwed up because of homework. All of my tests, quizzes, and most of my projects are perfect scores. I talked to my guidance counselor and she told me that I have all the credits I need in order to graduate. The only thing is, I just have to do my homework and keep my grades perfect from here on out so I have a better chance."

"Wait... You're serious?" Her grin dropped slightly, "Why do you want to graduate early all of a sudden?"

"I just... I just need to get away from all of this." He gestured around him, "All of this immature, high school drama bullshit. You know me, Manny, I hate this place. I'm  _married_. This place is not where I belong."

"Wow." The brunette blinked, "That got depressing real fast."

"Amanda."

"Sorry, sorry, it's just that you've always ranted how school is bullcrap and a waste of time, so it's kind of hard to process."

"Yeah..." He sighs, "Yeah, I know."

"I wonder how the teachers are going to- Oh, God." Manny's eyes blew wide, "Jupiter, run."

"Huh?"

"Angry cheerleading ex-girlfriend stomping straight towards you."

Jupiter didn't even look towards the general direction of where the girl was approaching. He simply grabbed his bag, stood up, and speed-walked out of the cafeteria before booking it down the halls.

He was  _not_  dealing with that crazy bitch today.

* * *

When Jupiter came back home early from a shift at work after school, everyone cheerfully greeted him. A wide smirk spreads across his face as he loosened the tie until it was barely holding together, "Hey, guys." He greeted back, "Huh, looks like two of you are missing."

"Sam and Legolas took it upon themselves to cook supper." Boromir stated, "They're still in the kitchen."

"Thanks." Wasting no time to go to the kitchen, he leaned against the door frame as he watched Sam and Legolas work together. They were oblivious to his presence, which gave him enough time to silently appreciate the way the elf glided around the kitchen - he may or may not have let his gaze trail down as well, but who wouldn't? - before they noticed him.

"Jupiter, you have returned." Sam grinned, "We were cooking another one of the meals that are in your book."

"Oh, really?" The scientist pushed himself off the frame and came over to take a peek at the opened cookbook, "Thai curry. It's been a while since I've had that one."

"It looked rather simple, but we may have underestimated how long it would take to prepare everything," Legolas said.

"Hm... Hey, Sam, how about you go join the others, I'll take over."

The hobbit blinked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you've been helping out with dinner all week, you really should take a break for a while."

A small smile replaced his hesitant frown and he nods before putting down the knife that was in his hand, leaving the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, Legolas put down his own knife and turned around just in time for his waist to be grabbed as lips met his own. The elf wrapped his arms around Jupiter's neck with a pleasant hum before they broke the kiss.

Legolas fiddled with the crimson hair that peaked out from beneath his hat as he gazed at him, "You look  _dashing_  tonight, my dear husband."

"Me, dashin'? You should take a look at yourself, doll, with your sexy pajamas 'n shit. Damn, I might just take you right here, right now."

The elf laughed at his joke and let go of him, turning back around to resume his job, "Normally, I would take you up on that, but not only are we cooking, we are also in the kitchen."

"You're no fun." Jupiter grumbled which earned him a kick in the shin. He hissed out curses as he stumbled over to where Sam had been working at on the cutting board.

It didn't take that much longer to finish and begin putting everything together in a pot while cooking some rice in a separate one. While the curry was simmering, Jupiter took this as his chance to pounce. That one kiss from earlier hadn't been enough and he knew that he wasn't the only one that wanted more, so that lead to Legolas being sat on the cleared off counter with Jupiter standing between his legs and lips latched onto his neck.

Tilting his head so that the man can get more access, he bit his bottom lip to withhold the moan begging to be released. Legolas felt heat creep up to his ears as a faint voice whispered, 「 _Don't_   _hold back... It's just us... No one else can hear you..._ 」

Legolas jaw dropped open almost immediately and a breathy moan came out as Jupiter nipped at the lobe of his ear, and it continued as he repeated the action back at his neck. He can feel the smirk against him, clutching onto the dress shirt as Jupiter's fingers dipped beneath the edge of his pants and his breathing quickens as the tantalizing touch teased him, making no move to go any lower.

"Jupiter..."

The redhead pulled away to admire the faint red markings on his skin, light indentations from his teeth slowly fading. His golden eyes trailed up and his breath hitches upon meeting a heated gaze. "Fuck." Was it just him or were Legolas's red-tipped ears and darkened blue eyes making him even more inviting?

Legolas shivered as he watched his eyes flash down before returning back up with a small spark. He had definitely seen his little problem and the way his legs were spread out slightly more than necessary.

Jupiter looked over at the stove and leaned over to turn it off so that the food wouldn't burn before putting his full attention back on Legolas. He began unbuttoning his shirt, "Guess dinner is going to be a little late..."

"Quickly, love," Legolas whispered as he squirmed due to the discomfort, 「 _Before I put_ you  _on this counter._ 」

"Yessir." He said with a wide smirk, returning his hands to the edge of the other's pants and gripped it-

They both jumped when the sound of loud pounding on the front door was heard. Faintly hearing Manny shout at whoever was at the door to chill out, Jupiter reassured the elf that they were fine and was just about to give him a deep kiss when he heard a voice he knew very well, shouting.

" _Where the hell is he?! Let me in! Where is that bastard?!_ "

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Jupiter growled out as he reluctantly stepped away from Legolas, anger searing through his veins as he quickly walked out of the kitchen with his equally irked husband following shortly after.

What they saw in the living room was something they all weren't expecting to happen tonight. At the front door, being held off by both Manny and Aragorn, was Isabelle, shouting at them to let her inside before she managed to push through them. She began stomping forward in her flats, but froze when she saw him... and Legolas.

Jupiter watched her steadily with crossed arms, knowing that from their swollen lips and ruffled appearance, it was clear what kind of mischief they were up to in the kitchen. Her eyes lingered mostly on Legolas, her eyes widening as she registered his face and her eyes flashed down to his hand where his rings were. Nobody made any move to kick her out of the house, not even Manny, who merely looked between them through the tense silence.

"Welp..." Manny began, "I feel thoroughly uncomfortable."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is a bit short :P


	46. XLVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Hi. This chapter is kinda short. :D
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

"Jupiter, we need to talk."

The man calmly crossed his arms. He can see that everyone in the room was seething at the sight of Isabelle, Legolas being the worse out of them all. "Uh-huh. I don't believe that we  _need_  to talk, it's more along the lines of you  _wanting_  to talk."

"No, it's- I'm being serious." She said with an almost distressed tone as she shifted on one foot to the other. Jupiter's eyebrows furrow in suspicion at the sight of her quickly rubbing her eye. Her skin appeared off and her overall appearance was rather ruffled, something unlike her. She wasn't even wearing make-up.

"If it was serious, I don't think you would have barged into my home as you did a few seconds ago."

"If I didn't barge in, I wouldn't be talking to you right now." Isabelle spat, "Your little  _friends_  would have kicked me out if I didn't put up a fight."

Huh... That was true. Jupiter took a glance at Manny and the Fellowship again. They were slightly calmer now, but they all still appeared upset and looked ready to shove her out the door the moment she makes a wrong move. Gratitude and warmth washed over him briefly. It was still odd for so many people to be protective of him, but it was a nice feeling.

Now, onto the real issue. What does she want to talk about? "Haven't we talked enough? Did you come here to ask the same damn questions you've shot at me? Because I'm starting to get sick of you jumping to conclusions and trying to connect dots that don't even exist when the answer is right in front of your face." Irritation was finally seeping back into his voice.

" _No_ , Jupiter, like I said, I'm serious." Isabelle's voice became quieter as if she were starting to lose hope, "Please,  _please_  can I talk to you?... Alone?"

A heavy silence weighed the entire living room. All eyes were on Jupiter now. Everyone else dearly wished that they could answer her question for him, but knew it wasn't their place. All they could do was wait for him to give his response.

A humorless laugh left the blonde woman as her head bowed slightly in defeat, "Hah... Right, I-... I guess I should have taken the hint at lunch today. Or the last time we talked. I'll just... I'll leave."

Jupiter sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose when she began to hurry towards the front door, "Fucking- Fine. Alright."

She skidded to a stop, spinning back around. She appeared to be genuinely surprised by his change of heart and everyone else was no better. "Jupiter," Legolas muttered to him. "Are you sure about this?"

The man only nodded at him before turning his attention back to his ex-girlfriend, "You want a drink or something? I have a feeling this is going to be a long chat."

"Whiskey."

"I quit drinking. Sorry, this is an alcohol and smoking-free household now."

"Oh." She appeared to not know what to say to that, which wasn't much of a surprise. She was one of the people who knew more than anyone about his love for those two things. "Water, then."

"Head to the back where the bench swing is. I'll be right out."

Isabelle nodded slightly, avoiding all potential eye contact with the other occupants of the household as she rushed over to the glass doors. As soon as they closed, Manny immediately turned to Jupiter with wide eyes, whispering harshly, "What the hell, Jupiter?!"

"What?"

"Don't 'what?' me! You're seriously going to talk to her after what she said to you? You're freaking crazy!  _She's_  crazy!"

"Yes, I believe you have just made a terrible mistake." Aragorn said, wincing as he recalled the last time he had seen her.

Gimli nods in agreement, "If I were ya, I would be careful. She betrayed you, lad, the words that come out of her mouth may not be the truth."

"I... I know."

"Jupiter," Legolas took a hold of his chin in order for him to turn his head towards him, "You don't have to talk to her if you don't want to. One of us can go out there and ask her to leave if you change your mind."

The redhead blinked owlishly. He thought he had hidden it well enough, how could Legolas possibly- Oh, right. Their link. He must have felt him... Or maybe Legolas has gotten way too good at figuring out what he was feeling. "I'll be fine." He was given an unconvinced look, "Seriously, I will. Look, there's something off about her, she's not the same. I've known her for a long time, I can tell that something has changed and as much as I don't want to talk to her, it has to happen."

Legolas didn't agree or disagree with his statement. He only breathed out a small sigh before letting go of him.

* * *

"Here."

Isabelle took the bottle of water, quietly thanking him before she took a small sip. Jupiter silently sat down a good distance away from her on the bench as he stared straight ahead. The tension around them was heavy and the silence was extremely awkward as he leaned back with a rather neutral expression. Maybe he should have just let her leave.

Gimli was right, she's lied before, what if she was lying again? She could have been lying about being serious and just wanted to call him a fag and liar all over again, but seeing her like this... Seeing her so quiet and unusual, though, made those thoughts seem a little... stupid. There was clearly something wrong that she needs to tell him.

"I wanted to congratulate you."

Jupiter's head immediately snaps over to the blonde, who was staring down at her water bottle as her unpainted nail picked at the seam of the blue paper wrapped around itself. A short, incredulous laugh bursts out of him, "Are you for real?"

"Shockingly, yeah. I saw that post, I mean,  _everyone_  has seen it,  _God_ , they still haven't shut up about it."

He scoffed at the reminder, "You're telling me."

"Anyway, that's not really the point." She turned slightly so that she was facing him, her tired eyes finally looking at him properly, "I just... need to ask you something. All I need right now is one honest answer."

Jupiter rose a brow and she appears to get nervous, fiddling with the now freed end of the labeled paper. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she took a deep breath, settling on keeping her eyes down as she asked quietly, "When we were together... Were you happy? Did you... Did you ever love me?"

Isabelle looked up at him again, "I've been asking myself that ever since you broke up with me. I was wondering if you didn't kiss me, like, really kiss me because you weren't happy or didn't love me. Not to mention that you didn't... didn't want to do all of those things with me. Was I just not good enough? Was it my fault? I don't even know anymore..."

She quickly swiped her hand underneath her eyes as she sniffled. Jupiter felt melancholy rip straight through him hearing her words and seeing her tears. It was strange how he didn't feel bad for her, not a single ounce of pity for her suffering, yet he was sad. It didn't take long for him to figure out why he was reacting this way when he shouldn't be.

"I was happy. At first, I was." Jupiter told her as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "You made me happy back then. We had some good memories that I will always cherish, but... Somewhere through our relationship... You changed. You started betraying me, lying to me, being this completely different person... The worst part is that I had forgiven you for all of the shit you've done. I trusted you when I shouldn't have because I thought I had loved you."

He looks down at his hand as he fiddles with his wedding ring, "Which leads to the answer to your other question. No, I never loved you. I thought I did, but it wasn't love and I'm glad I managed to figure that out. Yeah, I liked you, but I never loved you."

Isabelle winced, "I thought as much. What about..."

"The whole kissing thing? It wasn't you. It was my own issue. When I kissed you, when I kissed anybody, it never felt right. It was as if I shouldn't have been kissing them, y'know? I knew I shouldn't have ignored that fact, but for some reason, I didn't want to lose you. You were one of the few people that I actually cared about."

"So, how does it feel when you kiss... him?"

Jupiter looks over at Isabelle and he huffed, "I don't think tha-"

"It has to be different. You can't tell me it's not after what you just told me."

"Fine, it is different." He admits, "Unlike with you and others, I didn't pull back or cringe. I wanted more and I kept wanting more, and I  _still_  want more."

"You love him."

"Yes."

Isabelle's hand gripped her own leg, "Have you... Have the two of you-"

"It's none of your business."

"You did." She barked out a small laugh, "Of course, I mean, you're married now, it wouldn't make sense if you hadn't."

She fell into silence as she allowed all of this information to sink in, the label of the water now completely peeled off. Isabelle hung her head after a minute, whispering now, "I love you, Jupiter." Jupiter only frowned, also keeping his gaze down. His silence was not appreciated, "You're not going to say anything?"

"What am I supposed to say? You want to hear me say that I don't love you again or are you hoping that I miraculously confess my undying love for you and ditch my husband?" The scientist gave her a sidelong glance and saw that she was shooting him a nasty glare. He rolled his eyes, "Fuck's sake, it's like staring into a mirror. I remember seeing that look on my face every single day. Clinging onto hope that doesn't even exist."

"You don't know anything."

"Bullshit, I know enough to know that you haven't moved the fuck on. I know it's hard since you 'love' me, but the more you hold onto it, the more painful it will be. I did the same damn thing with you, hoping that if I stayed with you, I would see that we were meant to be together for the rest of our lives."

He straightens up and gestures to her, "Look at yourself. Look at what it's  _doing_  to you. Fucking get over me, learn your goddamn lesson, get on with your life, and find someone that you actually love and loves you as well."

"I can't do that when that someone is you." Isabelle said, "I  _can't_  move on."

"Yes, you can, you just won't let yourself." Jupiter threw up his hands in irritation, "And how many fucking times do I have to tell you? Betrayal isn't love." He saw her wince horribly at the jab, "If you actually loved me, the thought of potentially hurting me in any way, shape, or form would never cross your mind."

Shaking his head, he stood up, "I think we've talked enough... This is just..."

"No, wait, just one last thing." Isabelle rushed out. Jupiter remained standing but didn't move an inch. He looks down at her with a raised brow to signal that he was listening and she swallowed thickly, "Does he make you happy? Do you love him?"

"Yes, he always has." He answered truthfully after a moment. "Even before he and I started dating, he had made me the happiest. He's helped me through a ton of shit and he treats me as if I'm his  _world_. And yes, I do love him. To show you how serious this all is, to show you just how big of a mistake it is to meddle with our relationship, I'll tell you right now that I would go as far as to die for him. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him and keep my husband happy."

Isabelle nodded mutely and he ran his fingers through his ruffled hair, "Are we done now?" She nodded again. "I'll walk you out."

To avoid the others inside the house, Jupiter gestured for her to follow him before they left the backyard and went around the house to the front where her car was in the driveway. Jupiter leaned against the front door of the house as he watched her make her way to the car, reaching her hand out to open the door, but then she paused in her steps.

She clenched her small hand into a fist before turning back around and walking over to her ex-boyfriend, stopping at a good distance away from him as she said, "I don't think I can ever accept you for being... being  _gay_. I don't think I can ever accept any of this. You changing all of a sudden, getting married - it's just too much. But... I'll try. I'll still try."

"What's with the change of heart? What's the point of  _trying_ anymore, Isabelle?" Jupiter asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"I knew you were going to ask that." She wrung her hands together, "I wish I could tell you. I want to, but I know I'm not ready for that yet... I would say that the reason for the change of heart has to do with the reason why I changed so much, but even so, it's, like, no excuse." A wry laugh bursts out of her. "I'll admit, I was stupid, a total bitch, a literal piece of trash... The list can go on. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Her words were rushed and she stumbled over them, but nonetheless, it had Jupiter's eyes blowing wide. She glanced up before muttering, "Right, I'll go now." She then quicky scurried over to her car.

"Wait."

For the second time, she stopped, but didn't move this time. Jupiter assumed that she was waiting for him to say something, "While... While you're dealing with trying to accept it and bullshit, I guess I'll work on trying to forgive you." That made her look at him with wide eyes, "It'll be a long time until then, but still."

Isabelle wiped at her cheeks again and he barely heard her say, "Thanks. Good night, Jupiter." Before she pulled open the car door. She slipped inside, started the car, and pulled out of the driveway. Jupiter didn't move a single inch from where he stood as he watched her car drive away. He let out a shaky sigh when she was out of sight and rubbed at his eyes as his vision became cloudy.

He held absolutely zero romantic feelings for that girl. It was nothing like that, not anymore. God, he hated the fact that after all this time, after everything she did to him, he still cared about her. Before they had even started dating, they had been great friends. She had been one of his only friends back then and it seems like something within him will never let go of that fact.

What the hell happened to Isabelle? What made her change not once, but twice? Back then, she had been happy and glowy, never letting herself be dragged into classic teenage labels or drama.

The first time she changed, she allowed those things to happen and more. She lied to him, betrayed him, and hurt him.

The second time she changed... He can tell she didn't want to be that anymore. Even so, she still wasn't the same as he first met her...

She just looked so,  _so_  sad.

Jupiter hated the fact that after everything that happened, he still worries about her.


	47. XLVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Did You Know?: Jupiter and Legolas may have crushes on each other. :o
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Jupiter has been keeping a closer eye on Isabelle.

Even after his unexpected encounter with her and her apology, he was still wary about her... and maybe he was just a  _tiny_  bit worried about her still. Honestly, he didn't focus on his reasoning all too much due to the fact that he noticed something very quickly that he hadn't the days prior to her apology. Not once did she acknowledge his existence or glance at his direction. Although he was grateful for that, he still found her behavior strange.

She wore more sweaters and jeans now and seemed a bit timid when she wasn't with her friends. What also had him concerned was how uncomfortable she looked when she was with Ray. Nobody else noticed, but he was able to clearly see how stiff her entire body was when she's close to him and the way she strained her smile ever so slightly. He asked Manny's opinion on it and she basically told him that she didn't care about Isabelle's issues. Understandably so.

When Jupiter had came back inside the house that night, he had been silent up until they were all sitting at the table during dinner. He told them the basics of what happened and Manny had been the most displeased out of everyone. She wasn't particularly happy with the fact that Isabelle was suddenly apologizing out of nowhere and claiming that she loves him. Jupiter knows where she's coming from, but - he can't believe he's saying this - it's a bit unfair with how biased she is being no matter how much of a bitch Isabelle is.

"Hey, did you hear what happened yesterday? With Isabelle?"

Jupiter paused midway of putting a book back into his locker before resuming his action, slowing down his movements as subtly as possible as he focused on the voices of the two girls not too far off on his right.

"No, why?"

"Are you kidding me? Okay, now I have to tell you! So apparently yesterday, during cheer practice, Isabelle just walked in without her uniform and quit the team on the spot! Out of nowhere!"

"What? You're lying, she's the best on the team! Doesn't she love cheerleading?"

"I don't know, but I heard that she was forced to."

"Forced to?"

"Yeah, it's been kinda going around, but I think it's-"

A hand slamming into Jupiter's locker door and closing it caused him to nearly jump ten feet up in the air. He spun around to glare at whoever closed his locker before he was finished, and was a little more than surprised to find that it was Ray who had done it. Holy shit, when was the last time he saw Ray? When he made a bitch move and attacked him from behind when he was about to get in his car?

"Long time, no see, Holo."

"Back at you, dickwad. What do you want?" He didn't hesitate in asking, being this close to Ray wasn't very pleasant at all and he was absolutely dreading what he wants now.

"Nothing really, just heard that you got married, is all." The football player smirked mockingly and laughed, "Wow, I can't believe everyone believes that load of bullshit, even Bella. You?  _Married_? You're still in high school dipshit, is that even legal?"

Jupiter stared at him with narrowed eyes. Not in suspicion... Just... confusion.

Is... Is anyone  _this_  stupid?

"I also heard that Bella swung by your place."

Ah, so this was why he approached him. Of course.

"Oh yeah?" Jupiter leaned back against his locker, unimpressed, "What did she tell you this time?"

"She didn't tell me anything. She refused to, but I was able to figure it out just by the look on her face." Ray's voice lowered as he leaned in closer, hissing, "Did you make Bella cry again, Holo?"

"This shit again? Are you fucking-"

"You made her cry."

"Yeah, she fucking cried, she's an emotional piece of shit, what did you expect?"

"Don't test me."

"Oh, you gettin' a little angry?" Jupiter grinned, watching as his face morphed into a scowl, "Calm down, buddy, it's not like I did it on purpose. I just told her the truth like she wanted - I didn't love her, I'm married, and I'm a raging homosexual."

The grin stayed glued onto his face when the collar of his hoodie was grabbed and he was slammed into the locker behind him. He was clearly amused with how riled up Ray was getting, slack in his grip, "What the fuck did you just say?"

"I told her the truth," He repeated. "That I didn't love her. I never did. Apparently, that was a little too much for her-"

A fist immediately sank into his stomach before he was thrown onto the ground. A string of curses wheezed out of him as he curled up slightly into himself, barely having time to roll away when Ray made a pounce on him. Jupiter forced himself onto his feet, but his enemy was faster and was already slamming his fist into the redhead's face.

Blocking the next punch with his forearm, he thrusts out his foot and slammed it into Ray's stomach, knocking him onto the ground. This time, unlike Jupiter, he stayed down as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. Jupiter panted, his eyes flicking over the hallway to see that in the midst of their little conversation, what little students left in the hallway were already in class.

Putting his attention back onto Ray, he placed his foot on his chest when he made to sit up, "Ah, ah, ah, no more fighting. No more talking. All I need you to do now is listen."

Jupiter paused for a moment, meeting his murderous glare steadily with his own, "In all seriousness, it was never intended to make her cry before. She came by just to ask for the truth about everything and I did exactly that. I told her that I really am married to a man and that it will stay that way, and that I cared about her, but I never  _loved_  her." He took a deep breath, "Now, can you please fuck off? Don't get pissed at me for something that I had no intention of doing."

With that said, he stepped away, grabbed his bag, and headed down the hallway. His fist clenched and unclenched as he made his way to the exit, taking out his phone to shoot a quick text to Manny that he was skipping the last class of the day.

He licked his lips and his eyebrows furrow upon tasting copper and a slight sting on his bottom lip. Reaching up, he swiped two of his fingers over it and pulled them away to see that there was a thin film of red on the skin. Great, the asshole split his lip.

Suddenly glad that Manny had work today - which resulted in her bringing her own car to school - he hopped onto his motorcycle. His phone dinged, signaling that a text was received and snorted at the reply he had gotten from Manny: a gif of Kanye West shaking his head in disappointment. He sent a smiley face back along with a middle finger emoji.

Just as he sent it, another ding rang out in the air. It was Legolas.

_Leggykinz ;*_ _: Are you okay, my love?_

Jupiter swears to everything good and holy that his heart fucking  _melted_  reading that.

_Rosey Nerd : Small interaction with my good old friend, Ray. I'm fine, thanks for worrying about me, babe._

He followed his text with a horrendous amount of heart and kissing emojis. It always made Legolas smile.

_Leggykinz ;*_ _: Jupiter, you are aware that it is much easier to focus on how you feel - even from afar - than hearing you, correct?_

Fuck, he got him. Ugh... Now he's going to have to tell the full truth and end up worrying him... again. He quickly tapped his phone a couple of times in order to call him, pressing the phone to his ear as it rang twice before Legolas picked up. "Okay, so hear me out."

" _Oh, dear. I'm listening._ "

"Alright, so, I was mindin' my own business, y'know, eavesdroppin' a lil' bit on these two girls, no big deal. Then out of nowhere Ray pops up 'n asks about Isabelle, goin' 'why the fuck you make her cry again, you cum stain, blah, blah, blah'. I told him the gist of what happened, he got angry - big whoop - then he punched the shit outta me before I kicked him. Seriously, when will this guy learn that he can't beat me in a fist fight?"

" _Wait,_ what _? Are you hurt?_ "

Jupiter smirked slightly, "Just a little. A couple of bruises maybe, a busted lip, it's nothing."

" _I see... Now explain to me why you are so upset still._ "

"It's complicated. Remember last night when we were in bed, I told you that I was worried about Isabelle?" He received a hesitant yes from him, "I was right to be. I thought it was weird to be worried, but somethin' seriously isn't right, 'n the mystery is pissin' me off 'n Ray didn't help at all either..."

" _Jupiter, just as I said, it is alright to be worried about her, it isn't strange. You were her friend for a long time, of course, you would feel concerned._ "

"Wait, so you're not... like... Pissed off that I am? Usually, people would get jealous of their significant other gettin' worried for their ex 'n start to question their loyalty when in reality there isn't anythin' to worry about."

Legolas laughed on the other line, " _Of course not, you fool! I trust you and I know that you love me as much as I love you. I will not lie, I feel unhappy when you bring her up in conversation, but who wouldn't?_ "

"Holy shit, you are the most amazin' elf I have ever met."

" _I am the only elf you have ever met._ "

"Details, Legolas, those are just details." Jupiter chuckled, "Anyway, I'm leavin' school early to vent out my extra pent up rage in the gym. I rather not have it build up at home even though all I want to do right now is come back to you 'n..." His smirk faltered as he shifted on the motorcycle.

There was a brief silence on the other line before Legolas's amused voice filtered through the phone, " _Go on, Jupiter._ "

"You know what."

" _Yes, but I wish for you to say it._ "

Jupiter licked his lips as his eyes became hooded, his smirk completely dropping. His voice deepened as he fulfilled his command, "I rather not have it built up at home even though all I want to do right now is come back to you 'n  _fuck_  you until you can't walk."

" _That's more like it._ " Legolas's voice was noticeably quieter, " _When... When do you plan on returning?_ "

"The gym is pretty far 'n I'll be stayin' there for some time... After dinner, probably."

" _I'll be waiting, my love._ " The line goes dead.

* * *

Jupiter returned home with a clearer mind and extra sore limbs.

He ended up coming back a little later than the predetermined time. He gave lazy waves to everyone before ascending the stairs to go straight to his room. The man felt disgusting with sweat still covering his body, causing his clothes to cling onto his skin. Once he entered his bedroom, he saw that there was no Legolas. Definitely in the lab.

Jupiter tossed his bag to the corner of the room and grabbed a pair of sweatpants before heading into the bathroom. Stripping his clothes off, he turned the shower on and kept it ice-cold to hopefully help with his stiff muscles. He made it as quick as possible, scrubbing away sweat from his skin and hair before rinsing off and stepping out.

The scientist dried off and pulled on the sweatpants before walking out of the bathroom with his glasses in his hands. Jupiter stopped himself from putting them back on his face the second he saw Legolas rifling through the books on the shelf, "Hey there, beautiful."

Legolas whipped around, having been too absorbed in his search for a new book to notice that Jupiter had come out of the bathroom, and grinned at the sight of him. Jupiter opened his arms just in time for the blonde to crash into him and the man chuckled, surprised by the sudden action, "My my, someone missed me."

"Quiet, you." The blonde muttered before lifting his head to give the man a deep kiss, "Of course, I missed you."

Jupiter chuckled, running his fingers through the other's long hair - is it just him or has it gotten a lot longer? - and asked, "What were you lookin' for?"

"Just another book to read. I think I may have read all of them... Unless you have more hidden."

"Hm..." Jupiter stepped away from him and trailed over to his closet, "Well, I have a bunch of old books that I couldn't fit in the bookshelf." He knelt down and took a hold of a cardboard box that was hidden at the very back behind the clothes, grunting as he pulled it out and set it on the ground, "I think I got some more hidden around the house, but I think this will last you for quite a while."

"Thank you, rose." Legolas watched with narrowed eyes as Jupiter took a hold of his shoulder as he rolled it, "You are sore."

"Yeah, I probably just pulled somethin'." Jupiter watched as the ellon approached him, "I should be fine by tomorrow."

"Uh-huh. Yes. I believe you."

The man rolled his eyes. Legolas went behind him and brushed his fingers over his back, his husband making no move to stop him. He then pressed his fingers into his muscles at certain spots and sighed heavily in annoyance, "You have knots all over your back, Jupiter."

"Oops."

Legolas scoffed, pointing over at the bed, "Lay down on your stomach."

"Why?"

"I am going to get rid of the knots, that's why."

Jupiter's eyes lit up and he spun around, "You're gonna give me a massage?"

Legolas sighed, shaking his head slightly, "Yes, Jupiter, now can you please lay dow-" He was unable to finish his sentence when the redhead instantly climbed onto the bed, tossing his glasses onto the nightstand and resting his head on his folded arms.

Laughing under his breath, he climbed onto the bed and paused before moving so that he was kneeling with a leg on either side of Jupiter near his hips. Legolas began by running his hands down his back again, pressing his fingers into the muscle beneath the skin to locate where the knots were at again and where to focus on the most. It wasn't that hard to figure out where it was the worst when the man winced.

He felt Jupiter go completely slack and sigh in relief when he finally began, running his hands up and down his back soothingly. Legolas even took that time to admire the way his muscles shifted beneath his lightly tanned skin before pressing his thumbs into his back deeply. A hum left Jupiter as he moved his skillful hands around, slowing working out the knots, "Mm... Feels good."

Legolas was pleased to hear this, leaning down to briefly brush his lips against the back of his neck before continuing his work. The stiffness was mostly focused on his shoulders and lower back, so he made quick work of it. All the while, the elf blushed furiously at the obscene grunting and groaning the man was doing, wondering if he was either genuinely enjoying the massage and being extremely vocal about it, or doing it on purpose to get a rise out of him.

Even when the immortal was finished, he continued rubbing his hands along his back, neck, and shoulders. He went as far as to caress his waist and hips, going far enough down so that the tips of his fingers dipped beneath his pants before returning to his lower back. Legolas was so focused on the feel of his heated skin and how lovely Jupiter looked like this, that he almost barely noticed the way his breathing became uneven.

Legolas's eyes darkened at the sight of his hips rolling ever so discreetly and his gaze snaps up to the man's face. His eyes were closed and he was biting his split lip as a muffled moan left him. Legolas's own breathing deepened as he lightly massaged his neck before saying, "Turn over."

Jupiter froze beneath his touch, his eyes snapping open, "Uh..."

"What's wrong, Jupiter?" Legolas asked innocently as he lightly dragged his nails down his sides.

"Oh, psh, nothin'. Nothin' at all, it's just that I might have a... boner right now."

The redhead shivered when he felt lips brush against his ear, teeth nibbling on it as Legolas's voice filtered into his mind.

「 _I know, Jupiter..._ Turn over _._ 」

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short - sorry about that - but it would be a lot longer if you read the smut scene, too ;) That steamy scene will be posted on the smut collection a little while after this one so keep an eye out! It should be published very soon! Huehue :3


	48. XLVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

It's been way too long since Jupiter had the opportune time to enjoy a soothing violent game that consists of constantly spraying bullets into a hoard of zombies of all kinds - be it slow, fast, in hell dog form, or creepy fuckers that crawl and leave behind a trail of green fumes.

Two of his teammates were still able to keep up with him at round sixteen, his third teammate - a complete stranger - having long since died during the third round.

He was clad in his boxers as he slumped back in his computer chair with a headset on as to not to disturb his sleeping elf prince behind him. Yes. Sleeping. As in his eyes were closed, muttering incoherent words beneath his breath every now and then. Jupiter wasn't sure which was weirder - seeing Legolas 'sleeping' with his eyes open or sleeping like a human.

Legolas didn't particularly enjoy the nights where he slept like a human, considering that he is not as alert with his surroundings as he is in his more meditative state. Also, the times where he has dreams - they are more often than not unpleasant. So far, from what Jupiter can observe and can feel through their link, his dream was either blankness or nothing concerning.

From the corner of his eye, Jupiter can see the beginnings of light seeping through the cracks of the curtains. He withheld a bitter chuckle as he tried to imagine what he looked like at the moment. Even with Legolas by his side, he had only gotten a mere three hours of sleep and has been mindlessly playing video games for the rest of the night ever since he realized that he was not going to be able to fall back asleep. It was a bit annoying when that happens. Usually, nightmares are the cause of his sleeplessness, but Legolas chases them away by his mere presence. Night  _terrors_ , as well, but, again, Legolas always manages to soothe him back to sleep. Sometimes, though, there are nights where he simply wakes up and just... can't go back to sleep. For no reason.

As the game moves onto the next round, he quickly reaches his hand up to rub at his eye beneath his lenses. He most likely had dark circles under his eyes considering how heavy they felt. His appearance overall as well probably seem exhausted and ruffled. Jupiter returned his hand to his controller and the shine of the screen in front of him gave him a glimpse of the faint bruises on his wrists. His mood lifted at the sight, a smirk appearing. It's the weekend, yet they still haven't gone away.

Jupiter can still clearly remember what happened the day after he and Legolas tried out something new in the bedroom. He hadn't noticed at first, but the blonde had gasped, panicking at the sight of his bruised wrists. The scientist had nearly laughed as Legolas's hands hovered over him unsurely as he babbled out apologies. He had managed to calm him down by giving him a kiss, telling him that they didn't hurt and only got bruised because of the yanking and tugging he had done. Jupiter made sure that Legolas knew that he would one-hundred percent do it again.

" _Hey, Jay_ _,_ " A deep, yet friendly voice came through his headset. Jupiter recognized the voice of one of the very few people he friended with on the game console; everyone called him DJ. " _I'm down, mind helping a brother out?_ "

He made some kind of noise to indicate that he heard him, his character quickly heading over to him whilst clearing the way. Their other teammate covered them as Jupiter healed DJ, " _DJ, how did you get downed_ already _?"_ Their other teammate was also part of his tiny friend list. He refers to himself as- " _Jinx is superior to you all, he knows, but as mighty as he is, he can't really take all of these nasty peasants by himself._ " ...He also tends to speak in third person most of the time.

" _Well,_ damn _, I'm sorry that I'm still learning how to play this dumbass game._ "

Jupiter wasn't sure what to consider both of them exactly. He just knew they landed somewhere between acquaintances and friends. Back before the Fellowship came around, they played games all the time together and simply enjoyed talking, joking, and raging together. Jupiter was considered the quiet one in the small group, which DJ and Jinx accepted easily, but they both made it their goal to make him speak more than a couple of words or say something that wasn't related to the game.

They were both aware of how distant he is when it comes to relationships, but they made it clear that they didn't mind and were just glad that they all met, and were able to escape reality together. After they told him that, Jupiter was sure that wherever they are, their lives weren't all too great either.

" _You're extra quiet today, Jay._ " Jinx noted as they all resumed to running around with a horde of zombies chasing them, turning back around every several seconds to spray bullets, " _Not gonna lie, it's scaring me a bit. Especially after you disappeared on us for like months and popped up out of nowhere as if nothing happened._ "

" _Yeah, man, what happened? I was about to call the cops!_ "

" _No, you weren't._ "

" _Wha- Jinx, for once can you just let me overdramatize shit? I seriously was worried._ "

Jupiter paused briefly, listening to the tone of their voices. He spoke before his brain could catch up, saying quietly, "Friends from out of state came by and are living with me for a while. A lot of stuff happened after that."

" _...Holy shit, did you just tell us something from your life?_ "

" _Jinx is about to piss his pants._ "

He rolled his eyes, relaxing slightly. It was surprising how comfortable he was with saying that, "Ha. Ha. I'll just give you a SparkNotes version: Girlfriend cheated on me and I broke up with her, got kidnapped by a psycho stalker, and then I went on vacation."

There was a brief moment of silence.

" _DJ owes Jinx twenty dollars. You know where to send it._ "

" _Fuck you, at least I'm not a dick to believe that Jay's life is worse than our's!_ "

Jupiter wasn't even surprised that they made a fucked up bet like this. They have a tendency to do that. "Assholes."

" _Anyway, did that seriously happen or are you fucking with us?_ " DJ asked.

"Yep."

" _Are you okay?_ "

"Mhm."

_"Good, if you died, I swear I would cry-_ " Jinx's sentence was cut off by his own girlish shriek and DJ bursts into barrels of laughter as they both watch Jinx get scared by a zombie that he thought he had gotten rid of in order to finish the round, killing it before he began wasting his bullets on its corpse.

They moved onto the next couple of rounds after that, Jupiter reverting back to one or two words and a quiet voice. All of them were put under quite a lot of pressure when they got to round twenty and were struggling to survive. Jinx, surprisingly enough, was the first to officially die when neither of the two were unable to get to him without being downed as well.

Quickly following Jinx was Jupiter, and although Jinx made an effort to guide DJ through the round, he was unable to handle the swarm and eventually succumbed to them. They weren't all too mad that they lost, this game was all for fun and a goal wasn't set for them. They all took that time to settle their cramped hands, DJ hissing as he complained about his wrist locking up on him.

Not moving from the lobby, they all talked - well, mostly Jinx and DJ. Jupiter only listened and grunted yes or no when a question was directed towards him.

The redhead jumped when arms suddenly draped over and around his shoulders, Legolas's tired voice speaking above him after a kiss was pressed against his temple, "Jupiter, who are you talking to?..."

Barely noticing how the voices in his headset became abruptly silent, Jupiter immediately put his attention on his elf. He reached up with one hand to cup his husband's cheek, caressing it with his thumb as he spoke soothingly, "It's five in the morning, darling, you should be sleeping."

"I should be the one telling you that." Legolas chuckled, "Were you unable to sleep? Was it-"

"No, I'm fine. I guess I'm just a bit restless tonight."

Legolas looks up at his screen, "What are you doing?"

"I'm playing a video game with some... pals. Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yes, but it's alright. I'm still a bit tired, though..." He bit his lip, "I want you to join me. You need sleep, too."

"Okay, but don't get any funny ideas."

"Oh, please, as if I would when you look as if you are about to faint. Besides..." Legolas tilted Jupiter's head, "It would be very unlikely that you would be unhappy with my 'funny ideas'." He said lowly before giving him a long, slow kiss that had the redhead humming contently. Breaking the kiss, Legolas allowed his hand to linger on his shoulders as he fully pulled away from him and walked back over to their bed.

" _...What the fuck did Jinx's ears just witness?_ "

" _Jay, who was that? Was that a dude? Did I really hear what I just heard? I am so confused._ "

Jupiter sighed as he set his controller down, "That was my husband."

" _Um... Huh?_ "

The scientist paused and furrowed his brows, "I didn't mention that before? Jeez, I need sleep..."

" _You're... you're married._ "

"Yeah."

" _And gay._ "

"Extremely."

" _Huh._ "

Jupiter rolled his eyes yet again, "After breaking up with my ex, I found out I was gay and ended up marrying a sexy British dude that has me wrapped around his finger."

" _...Jinx, I want my money back. This guy is literally the luckiest fucker in the world._ "

" _DJ, you're only saying that because you're gay, too._ "

" _What? No, I'm not._ "

" _DJ._ "

" _What?_ "

" _I'm your boyfriend._ "

Jupiter slapped his hand over his mouth as his shoulders shook. Holy shit, if he had known he would get some pleasant surprises and laughs out of this, he would have told them this weeks ago.

Legolas, having heard his silent chuckles, huffed and blindly reached for Jupiter's hat that sat on the nightstand, throwing it at his husband's head, "Jupiter! Bed!"

"What the fu-" Jupiter spluttered, failing in catching it before it hit the ground. He sighed, picking it up, "Sorry, love, I'll be there in a second." He prepared to disconnect from the voice chat, "Bye, guys."

" _Bye! Have fun with your boy toy!_ "

" _Jesus Christ, Jinx-_ "

Jupiter quickly disconnected, shut off his console and monitors, and climbed into bed with Legolas. He chuckled as the elf immediately clung onto him with his arms wrapped securely around his waist. Jupiter pulled the covers over them more before he adjusted their position so that Legolas was able to use his arm as a pillow while the other draped over his shoulders, fingers combing through platinum blonde hair.

The scientist's smile faltered as he felt Legolas nuzzle into his chest, "Doll?"

A hum of acknowledgment is all that he receives. "You cold?" He asked quietly, his hand trailing down to rub circles into his back between his shoulder blades.

"No." Came Legolas's muffled reply, "You feel quite warm, though."

"Huh..." Jupiter's eyes narrowed slightly at nothing in particular.

"Quit your fretting, just rest."

"Ugh, fine."

* * *

"I-I-... I just can't believe s-she would just... just  _do_  this! To us! To o-our daughter!  _My_  daughter!"

" _Tony_ , c'mon, sit down, you're on the verge of a panic attack."

The disheveled, frantic man only stared wide-eyed at the red-haired teen as he was gently guided to a seat in a more secluded corner of the fortunately empty room. His eyes were bloodshot and tears continued to cascade down his face as his chest heaved with deep, uneven breaths, "W-Wha- A panic- I don't care! My  _daughter_ , w-who's in the goddamn PICU is way more important than-"

"Hey, hey, hey, listen to me." Jupiter knelt down in front of him, "I've been in your shoes, trust me, I have. I know that you're terrified about what's going to happen to Cana and the most horrible outcomes are going through your head, but you need to take a moment and  _breath_. In and out."

Anthony took a stuttering breath in, muttering to himself as he shook his head, " _My little girl_...  _My little princess_..."

Jupiter felt his heart break for the man. Both of them barely knew each other, having seen each other face to face about three more times after their encounter at the store, and having briefly spoken through calls and texts whenever Anthony needed advice for calming a fussy Cana or was having trouble with something new. The last time he had called for advice, it was when his daughter had started teething.

Usually, when he sees a stranger in distress, he feels a small pang of pity, but with Anthony, he can't help imagining himself in his place. To witness and experience everything that he did, but with  _Levy_. Add onto the fact that he had witnessed the death of his parents and the near-death of his best friend, he most definitely couldn't help, but to relate to what the single father was feeling.

Jupiter remained as unwavering support for this stranger as he clung onto his hoodie, his head bowed as he continued to sob his grief. He was surprised that he himself hasn't shown a single hint of emotional distress as of yet considering that with the short time he spent helping Anthony with Cana, he, too, ended up with a small attachment to the baby. It really couldn't be helped, he had a special soft spot for babies and kids that weren't complete brats. That was why he had broken quite a few traffic laws getting to the hospital.

He hadn't been expecting the day to turn out this way. He had just gotten it all planned out and had been ready to ask Legolas out on another date. A few days ago he found out that a certain cafe downtown did poetry nights during the weekend. He thought it was a great idea to show Legolas something new that he knew he would enjoy, but he never got the chance to ask.

While nearly every individual in the household was having a really intense game of Wii Sports, Jupiter had gotten a sudden call from Anthony and had excused himself to answer it. A sick feeling slithered within him when he heard his voice, rough from his tears and completely anguished:

_"Jupiter!... I-... I'm sorry, I-I didn't know who else to call!... It's Cana. S-She's-"_  A sob had ripped out of him before he said to himself,  _"_ Jesus Christ, Minerva, what have you done? _"_

Jupiter had immediately bolted to grab his shoes, trying as best as he could to keep his voice calm as he asked where he was. The moment he told him that he was on his way to the hospital, following the ambulance, he told Anthony that he'd be there soon and hung up. He was barely able to tell everyone what had happened before rushing out of the house and to his motorcycle.

Another shuddering breath from Anthony, one much calmer and less shaky, brought Jupiter back to the present. He patted the man's knee as the tears noticeably lessened. Anthony just looked so  _tired_  now. Both exhausted from his near panic attack and the crying. The redhead stood up, "I'll go grab you some water." He was given no reply.

No less than two minutes later, he returned with a water bottle that he snagged from the vending machine and handed it over to the man, sitting on the seat next to him. He was given a quiet thanks before half the bottle was gulped down. Once Anthony was finished, he screwed the cap back on and set it down on the ground before sighing heavily, rubbing a hand down his face, "I'm sorry, Jupiter, I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

Jupiter couldn't stop his eyes from rolling along with the words that spilled from his mouth, "Quit apologizing, seriously, you're starting to sound like my husband." He shook his head slightly, "It's fine. I'm... actually glad you called me. I may have gotten a little too attached to Cana."

A quiet laugh bubbled out of Anthony. It was weak and a little sad. His head tilted up from where it hung, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at Jupiter, "You're married? Aren't you a little young?"

"Yeah," The scientist agreed easily, "We kinda rushed it, but... We're happy."

"That's good." He nods, sniffling, "I wish I got married before having a baby. Hell, I... I wish I was at least  _ready_."

Jupiter silently listened as Anthony continued on, "After I got kicked out of a private university a few years back, my life just... plummeted. I got high every moment that I could, used all my money on weed, and my parents got sick of my shit so they kicked me out. I lived on the streets after that. I ended up meeting people after a while and started doing some things I'm not too proud of just to get by. In the middle of everything, I met Minerva, Cana's mother. She did dirty jobs like me, so we ran into each other all the time. We started talking and then we ended up becoming fuck buddies."

He sighed again, "Me being young and stupid, I found myself telling her that I had feelings for her. Supposedly, she felt the same way and then dropped the bomb that she was pregnant. It was like... a flip switched in me. I tried getting off the street and quit all of those drug runs, and I succeeded, but the price wasn't too pretty." He laughed bitterly, "I tried getting a job and ended up getting one at some fast food restaurant out of town. I worked seven days a week with barely any sleep just to get us an apartment, food, things for the baby... I did everything I could."

Anthony fell silent and Jupiter nudged him lightly, asking hesitantly, "What happened after Cana was born?"

He didn't answer right away. "Minerva didn't let me touch her. Not even hold her. Not once. It was as if one second she cared about me and the next she could give less of a shit. It was like she realized that now that Cana was born, I definitely wasn't going to leave - I would just continue to bring in the money in order to take care of Cana, but at that point it was  _useless_. Minerva wasn't always...  _there_. Y'know? She was normal, but there were days where she looked like she was in her own little world. Because of that, she wasn't all that great at taking care of Cana, my God, she made me look like a damn  _veteran_  at caring for a baby."

Anthony paused for a moment, "Two weeks after she was born, I came home from work and... and it was just a mess. The whole apartment was torn apart and I heard Minerva screaming while the baby was crying. I ran in the bathroom and Cana was floating in the bathtub, nearly drowning, while Minerva was just screaming at her to shut up. That's when I found out that Minerva had been on cocaine ever since I met her.  _Cocaine_."

"Shit," Jupiter shook his head in disbelief. "Did it affect Cana?"

"No, Minerva had at least some sense to try to quit during the pregnancy. Apparently, she managed to push through all nine months, but the stress of caring for Cana was too much for her and she relapsed."

"You mentioned her on the phone. Minerva, I mean." He said, "What did she do to Cana?"

"Well... After the incident, I got full custody of Cana and a restraining order against Minerva. I wanted to have her put in jail, I was fully capable of doing it, but I... I love her, I couldn't-"

"I get it."

Anthony's shoulders relaxed upon hearing his whisper and took a deep breath, "Today, Minerva found us... And she was insane. Had a gun pointed right at me, took Cana, and left. I was in hysterics while calling the police and after a couple of hours, they found both of them in a ditch in a car. Minerva was drunk off her ass, barely hurt, and Cana she... She had gotten serious head trauma. She might not make it, Jupiter."

"Anthony," Jupiter turned in his seat slightly to look at him properly, "Do you remember when I first came to help you with Cana? She bruised the fuck out of my finger when she wouldn't let go of it - I swear, that bruise didn't go away for  _days_."

The corner of the man's mouth briefly twitched up, "Yeah, I remember."

"Cana's strong. You and I both know it, and the last thing we should be doing right now is doubting that she'll be able to pull through all of this. You see, Cana is nothing like Minerva. Minerva had the will to be a mother, but she didn't have the strength. Cana has the strength, but she doesn't have the will. We have to provide that for her."

Anthony looked at him for a long moment with surprised awe once he was finished. He shook himself out of his stupor and placed his hand on Jupiter's shoulder, squeezing it before letting go, "You're right. You're goddamn right." He quickly wiped away his tears, "My little girl is a warrior. If she survived once, she can do it again."

They both fell into a comfortable silence. Nurses behind the front counter continued to tap away at their keyboards and answer phone calls as a couple more people walked into the waiting area, seating themselves far from the pair.

"How did you get kicked out of that private university anyway?" Jupiter asked suddenly.

Anthony snorted, "I was a little too invested on one of my peers' research. We shared common beliefs so we worked together on it. I ended up stealing some equipment that students in their first and second year are prohibited from handling. I got caught and was kicked out. I heard that the professor I looked up to got kicked out, too, for focusing on things that weren't 'facts'. It was stupid."

"Oh, yeah?" Jupiter smirked slightly, "Makes me wonder what exactly these beliefs were."

"Multiverses, parallel universes, alternate dimensions, that sort of thing." He shrugged, "He and I got surprisingly far in the research. It was... insane discovering that something that was initially fiction is actually  _fact_. We knew that whatever was out there, it wasn't a multiverse, or a parallel universe, or an alternate dimension. It was something  _completely_  different..."

Jupiter stared at him wide-eyed, "Holy shit, seriously? I'm actually researching that, too."

"Huh." Anthony blinked, surprised yet again, "How far have you gotten?"

The redhead's expression became blank as he pointed at him, "Okay, now that part's confidential."

Another chuckle left Anthony, "Oh, man, you sound just like Professor Holo."

Jupiter blinked.

"Professor  _Whomst-In-The-Fuck_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me so I can fix it ASAP.


	49. XLIX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

Jupiter had been very tempted to tell Anthony what his surname is.

However, he kept his mouth shut.

Even though the man was rather confused that he brushed off his odd reaction, Jupiter knew that this wasn't the time to tell him. Right when Anthony was going to ask about it, a nurse came over with paperwork for him to sign and the conversation was luckily forgotten.

Tony sighed as he scribbled on the second page of the pile of papers pinned to the clipboard, "This entire thing is a mess and it's only going to get messier after Cana is better. There's getting Minerva in jail, the damages in the apartment, the  _bills_..."

"Hey," Jupiter placed a hand on his shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze, "I know that even before this you've had it rough, and if you seriously need it, I can help out."

The young father paused in reading the next lines of words on the paper and looked at Jupiter with furrowed brows. The gears were shifting in his head before something clicked, his eyes nearly bulging as they widened. He spluttered for a moment before shaking his head vigorously, "No. No way. I can't- You've already done so much, I can't do that, plus you're just a kid, you need your money for college-"

"Anthony, I pay my own bills alongside my best friend. I was lucky enough to find a job as a waiter that gives amazing paychecks and tips, but still, sometimes that isn't enough and I struggle. Even when I do struggle, I don't ever use the money my parents passed down to me unless it's an emergency. The first time I've ever touched it was for the hospital bills when Manny almost died..."

Jupiter moved his hand away before leaning back in his seat, "In my opinion, this is an emergency. I don't mind helping you, I really don't, but it's on you if you want the help or not."

Tony bit his bottom lip as he looked down, tapping his pen in a rhythmic manner before shaking his head again, "I... I don't know. Are you sure? You're not screwing with me?"

"I'd never mess with you like that, especially in this situation."

He took a deep breath, "Okay... Okay, I'll... I have to think about this."

"Sure, no worries."

* * *

Legolas isn't one for snooping...

But he had been completely and utterly bored and had nothing better to do, so it was his last resort.

Earlier on during the day, he had been rather upset with the news that Jupiter had rushed out before leaving in a hurry. It stayed like that for some hours until Jupiter finally called all of them to say that the doctor arrived, telling them that Cana will be alright after suffering a concussion and extreme blood loss. It was a miracle, really. Relieved and still a little worried, Legolas separated from the group, trailing up the stairs and into the bedroom.

He ended up rifling through his and Jupiter's shared closet before smiling and pulling out the tie-dyed white hoodie that he remembers his husband wearing a long time ago. He can still clearly remember when he had worn it, it was the morning after the night terror incident and it was also the morning where the more intimate side of their relationship began. Legolas couldn't help, but bury his face into the dyed fabric and take a deep breath. It still smelt like Jupiter.

Moving on, he took off his pants to leave himself in his boxers before slipping on the hoodie. He sighed in satisfaction upon immediately being surrounded by soft fabric. He can see why Jupiter wears these all the time, they feel wonderful.

As he made his way to Jupiter's desk, he unknotted his braids before running his fingers through the freed hair. He plops down onto the computer chair and found himself spinning on it a couple of times before stopping himself in order to focus on the black screen before him. Pulling his legs up so that they were crossed with his feet underneath him, he turned on the machine the same way he had done before on the computer downstairs.

Immediately, it began starting up and he watched patiently as it loaded before the starting screen appeared, which held a simple background of mountains and sunset, and a picture from his and Jupiter's first date above the word 'Pyro' in the middle of everything. Chuckling to himself as he recalled that date, he clicked on the screen to enter-

There is a password.

He tried the one Jupiter had used on the computer downstairs, but it ultimately failed. Cursing to himself, he typed in many words. All words relating to fire, chocolate, science, and other things that he liked, but no such luck. The only thing he has gotten out of his trial and error was a hint. All the hint was, was a heart. A heart. How does that help at all? What in the world does a heart mean?

...Oh.

Hesitantly, he typed in his own name.

" _Excuse me_?" He said out loud incredulously when it was still incorrect, brows furrowed, "Of course, he wouldn't make it obvious..."

He tried, 'Doll'.

...'My doll.'

He huffs, now getting increasingly frustrated. Taking a moment to think, his eyes scanned the contents laying on the desk... He perks up when his gaze stops at a piece of paper with notes scribbled on it and a pen laying on top of it.

He tries, 'My One.'

"Damn it!" He cursed before quickly typing another out of anger:

'Legolas is my One.'

"...Well, then." Legolas blinked owlishly, utterly pleased with himself when it went through and took him straight into the account.

Relieved that he didn't have to go through the frustration of trying to figure out the password, he placed his hand on the mouse. He pauses before he clicks on an icon, frowning to himself. This... is an invasion of privacy. This is extremely invasive and the time where he had accidentally invaded in Jupiter's privacy is still engraved into his mind. Well... Many, many good things came out of it, but that was an accidental invasion. This, however, is intentional.

He sighs and shook his head to himself. No, he won't do it. Maybe he should play that game Jupiter has been playing more often. Whenever Legolas would see him playing it, he would curl up on his lap with a blanket wrapped around both of them and watch silently - only speaking up when asking a question or giving strategical tips of how he can progress further into the video game.

He turns on the game console and grabbed the controller. It may take him a while to learn how to use the strange device and the game, but he is sure he will do decently by the time Jupiter returns home.

...And then maybe along the way, he'll end up 'accidentally' clicking a few things.

So, after selecting the game - with little trouble - he spent most of his time in the version of the game where he played by himself. His character died many, many...  _many_... many times, but after two hours of trial and error, there was one specific retry where something just clicked. His eyes zoned in on the screen in front of him and the skill he had acquired from his bow and arrow were passed onto the virtual gun in his character's hands. To put it simply...

He was nearly unstoppable at that point.

Currently, he was on round ten, the longest he has ever survived so far and was now at a particularly dark area that was difficult to see in with the lights on in the bedroom. He muttered angrily to himself as he furiously tapped the buttons with his thumbs, trying very hard to squint and ignore the glare that was on the screen.

" _Damn_!" He shouted to himself as the death screen appeared. Sighing, he set down the controller and stood up, tugging the hood onto his head as he exited the room.

Legolas withheld himself from stomping down the stairs. He is both annoyed at the game and annoyed at the fact that he was being annoyed by the game. Honestly, he was acting much too similar to Jupiter and he dearly hoped that it wasn't permanent. He loves him with all his heart, every bit of him, but Legolas doesn't think he can continue living with that kind of personality change.

Stopping at the end of the staircase, he pauses when he finds all eyes on him. He blinks, remembering that he was wearing Jupiter's clothes and was only wearing his undergarments...

...Meh.

He continued onto the kitchen and rifled through the cabinets until he found Jupiter's candy stash. He took a bag of gummy worms and after a moment of consideration, grabbed a bag of M&M's as well. Satisfied with the unhealthy treats he gathered, he made his way back upstairs while completely ignoring the eyes following him. Once he returned to the bedroom, he shut the lights off and sat down, ripping open the bag of gummies.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Jupiter sighed in pure and utter relief once he returned home, the exhaustion finally hitting him after the hospital scare. If he was this tired, he couldn't imagine how Anthony felt at this very moment. He hopes that he relieved at least a little of his stress with his offer.

Speaking of Anthony, he was actually the one who forced him to go home. It had been a few hours after the doctor came around to talk to them when he felt a small flare of irritation within him that seemed extremely foreign within his own body. It wasn't hard to deduce that it was Legolas feeling the irritation, which was strange since Jupiter was very far from the house... What could possibly make the even-tempered elf  _that_  annoyed? The temptation to text him was strong, but his phone had died long ago, so the mystery of it all worried him greatly. It was unsettling when the irritation grew stronger but never burst into anything more intense as time continued to tick on.

Tony had caught on to his concern, eventually asking what's gotten him so antsy. Although hesitant to answer at first, Jupiter reluctantly told him that he was just worried about his husband since he was gone for nearly the whole day and his phone had died - resulting in no communication to him. Anthony didn't even question the specific reason as to why he was worried, he only told him to go home. Jupiter refused at first, but the man had physically pushed him out of the hospital.

Kicking his shoes off to get some sort of relief from his sore feet, he stepped further into the living room to properly greet everyone. It was pretty late and it was surprising to see them still up and watching some random movie that Manny found on Netflix. Before he could even open his mouth, his best friend paused the film in order to look at him with a blank stare, "Something is wrong with your husband."

A shock of fear ripped through him at the blunt sentence, but he quickly calmed down his racing heart and his sudden need to find Legolas as soon as possible. From the looks on everyone's faces, whatever was wrong with him, it wasn't serious, "What do you mean?"

"I dunno," She shrugged. That helps. "But he was fine right before he went to your room. After, like, an hour, he came out in your clothes looking as if someone peed in his cereal, stole some of your candy, and went back upstairs."

"It's been quite some years since I saw him that vexed," Aragorn added. "It was strange that he didn't speak a word to us when he saw us, he only came for what he wanted and left. Even when he is like that, he would at least greet us..."

"You guys have any idea why?"

Manny snorted, "Not my job to find out."

"She  _means_ ," Boromir gave the woman a scolding glance, "That we would rather not be subjected to his anger. I, especially, wish not to have a nose gushing with blood again."

Pippin had a contemplative look on his face, "But would it not make sense if he used his bow?"

"Or his blades," Merry added in.

"With the look on that elf's face, I'd say both of 'em." Gimli grumbled, " _And_  his fists."

"But he uses his bow more often-"

Jupiter slowly backed away from the growing debate before booking it upstairs. He was not going to get involved in that. He has more important things to do, like find out what in the fuck has Legolas's panties in a twist.

He approached their bedroom door and placed a hand on the doorknob. He paused, taking a deep breath. Having faced an extremely pissed off elf once was enough to leave Jupiter afraid of making him that angry again. After a few more seconds, he opened the door and stepped inside.

" _You mother fu-_ " The shout was abruptly cut off with a frustrated huff and an unintelligible mutter.

Jupiter watched, beyond surprised by what was presented before him. Somehow, Legolas had gotten into his computer and was now wrapped in a blanket on the chair, hoodie on his head, and knees pulled to his chest as he played the game before him. On the desk next to him was an empty bag of gummy worms and a bag of M&M's that has been barely touched.

He had no idea what to say to it all except, "Uhhh..."

Legolas visibly jumped, his thumb flying to the pause button on the controller and spinning around in the chair to face him with his bare feet coming down to touch the ground. He stared at his husband with wide eyes, all anger was gone from his face - including their bond - and he looked very sheepish. As if he had just been caught red-handed with his hand in the cookie jar, "Jupiter!... I, uh... I thought that you would return later tonight!"

"I felt you." The simple and blunt statement was dazed but he managed to shake it off for a moment in order to add, "And Legolas, it's literally one in the morning."

The elf looked at him in disbelief before turning back to the screen to see that the man was indeed correct. He chuckled sheepishly, "I must have lost track of time..."

Jupiter, by now, was completely out of his stupor, "Yeah, video games usually do that to you. But what's more important..." He walks up to him, leaning down until his hands were grasping the armrests after he stopped in front of him, "Is the fact that you managed to get into not only my lab computer but also my personal one, found my candy stash, 'n..." His eyes glanced over his shoulder, "Became a veteran at a game that you've played for only a few hours. Several at most."

"I apologize?" Legolas trailed off his words as more of a question than a statement, unsure of whether or not Jupiter was mad at him or not.

A wide smirk spreads across Jupiter's face, his hand reaching up to trail his fingers down his jawline before properly gripping his chin and mused, "Such a sneaky elf."

...Alright, Jupiter was definitely not mad at him.

The redness in Legolas's cheeks appeared to grow the longer Jupiter stared at him, admiring every detail that he has long since memorized on his face. His smirk reduced to a sad sort of smile and his mischievous gaze quickly turned loving, "I missed you." He whispered softly.

In an instant, blue eyes softened and an insistent fluttery sensation reigned upon his stomach, "Oh, my Jupiter, I have missed you as well."

Jupiter's brow rose, "You sure? You looked like you were havin' a lot of fun without me." He drawled out teasingly.

A laugh bubbled out of the immortal, shaking his head slightly. Jupiter's smile widened as he watched the laughter continue to tumble out of him, insisting that he really did miss him. He cut off his jumbled words with a deep kiss and a low moan escaped Legolas almost immediately when a tongue met his. The ellon gripped the back of his neck as he returned the kiss whole-heartedly, reveling in the sensation of Jupiter's hand trailing down to his waist and caressing it.

When Jupiter's neck and back started to hurt from leaning down for too long, he pulls away. Planting one final kiss on top of his head, he straightened up, "Alrighty, get up, we're sharin' the chair." He said as he stripped down to his boxers as well, keeping himself in his black hoodie. There was a small part of him that absolutely adored the fact that they were pretty much matching.

Legolas eagerly stood up as the man tossed his pants and hat to a random direction, sitting down before grabbing the elf by the waist to pull him down as well. A small yelp escaped him at the sudden jerk, his hood falling off his head. Jupiter grinned, brushing away strands of blonde hair from his face before pecking his lips and locking his arm around his waist, "Okay, show me how far you've gotten so far, sug'."

Nodding, the archer got comfortable in his lap, sitting sideways as he usually did on it so he was able to look at Jupiter and kiss him freely when he felt the need to do so and to look at the screen with no trouble. He started the game again, beginning to explain how he managed to overcome certain obstacles and which obstacles he still has to get through despite how far he was in the rounds. Jupiter listened intently, hand absentmindedly massaging the inside of his bare, smooth thigh - which distracted Legolas enough to stumble over his words and nearly kill his character.

Spending time with Jupiter like this was a lovely distraction from the e-mails he had seen earlier on.

The thought of them broke his heart... But he could not imagine how it felt for Jupiter to see them as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I wished this was longer, but oh well. Hopefully, some exciting things will start happening in the next chapters. :D
> 
> ...time for my nap k bai


	50. L

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Lord of the Rings.  
> I do own my OCs.

* * *

_Dear Mr. Holo,_

_This is in regard to your application to the-..._

_Dear Mr. Holo,_

_Thank you for your interest in-_

_Dear Mr. Holo,_

_We are sorry to inform you-_

_Dear Mr. Holo,_

_Thank you for your interest in our program. We have received numerous applicants that showed great excellence, most of which we are unable to accept due to our strict criteria. After reviewing your application carefully, we have noted that your entry fits all criteria, but it is with our deepest regrets that we were unable to accept you._ _Unfortunately, we are only able to accept a limited amount of students for this year and..._

It's in our best interest to select applicants with interests that match closely with faculty members.

Jupiter stared unblinkingly at his screen. He wasn't surprised. Not one bit.

Yet, for some reason, it was still haunting to see those near-same pixelated words in every single rejection letter he received. Every goddamn one. The frustration was suffocating and he knew his hands were balled up into fists as they shook - just like when he first read all of the e-mails a few days ago. He wasn't sure why he went back to look at them again, but he began clicking before he realized what he was doing.

It wasn't fair.

The sample of his research he submitted with each and every application showed nothing but perfection. He knew it and they knew it as well, it would be stupid for them to reject him, and he wasn't sure why he had hoped they would accept him just because everything on his application was perfect. Logically, he should go to a university outside of California, but even with the money passed down to him, it wouldn't be enough to pay for that kind of change. His parents' life savings weren't flooding the bank or anything like that.

_Dad_.

He knew that dad's reputation wasn't the greatest among his colleagues. He wasn't a bad person, God no, he had to be the purest person Jupiter has ever known in his entire life, it was his research and his views that got their panties in a twist. Jupiter had been fully aware of others' dislike for Lynx as a kid, but he didn't give two shits about it. He continued to look up to him and Lynx went along with it, taking him under his wing. He showed him the ropes of chemistry, biology, physics, etcetera, then off to reversing blindness, limb regeneration...

But he never spoke a word about his research on the existence of other worlds.

Lynx would answer every question Jupiter had to ask, explain anything that he wanted, but he never spoke of that one specific project of his. He always steered the conversation towards another direction or blatantly change the subject.

And now after talking to Anthony...

It was clear to him now why exactly everyone thought Lynx was a lunatic among other researchers.

Jupiter needed answers. He wanted to know why his reputation had made such a horrible impact that it's affecting him as well, and not only that, if everything Anthony said was true, then he needed to find what's left of his studies.

However, he needed somewhere to start. He would start off by telling Anthony the truth and ask questions, but he couldn't do that now for obvious reasons. The best and easiest option right now would be to ask his grandmother. He needed to know if she knew anything about it. It would also be best if he started as soon as possible.

He looks over his shoulder and his gaze lands on his peacefully sleeping husband. After he had slipped out of his arms, he had unconsciously buried himself in the blankets, practically cocooning himself in them to make up for the warmth he had lost. It was insanely early, around four in the morning. Esther should be getting ready to start the day by now and it was best to start leaving in order to begin his investigation as soon as possible.

Jupiter didn't want to leave without saying anything to Legolas, but at the same time, he didn't want to wake him up. Then again, the elf had gotten pissed before when he left while he was sleeping and didn't come back until the evening, only leaving behind a note.

With a small sigh, he shut his computer off and quietly traveled through the room, doing his usual morning routine in the bathroom and then getting dressed. He placed his hat on his head backward as he sat on the edge of the bed beside Legolas. Jupiter took a moment to simply gaze at Legolas, watching his shoulders and chest rise and fall slowly beneath the blankets.

The scientist placed his hand on the ellon's head, running his fingers through the slightly tangled locks. It was still a mystery of how Legolas could sleep comfortably with his hair out like that. He has heard enough complaining from Manny to know that it was a nightmare waking up with tangled hair and strands of it somehow in his mouth.

Legolas shifted, unconsciously nuzzling more into his hand. Jupiter smiled and brought his other hand up to cup his cheek, caressing it with his thumb, whispering, "Legolas, darlin'..."

It took a couple of seconds for the archer's breathing pattern to change and his eyes to slowly blink open. He looked up at Jupiter sleepily, slurring out in confusion, "Jupiter?... What time is it?..."

"Nearly five in the mornin'. I just needed to wake you up to tell you that I'm stoppin' by granny's 'n I'm not sure how long I'll be."

"Esther?" He questioned before making to sit up, "I can come with you-"

"No, no," Jupiter gently pushed him back down, stroking his hair gently, "I just have to ask Esther some things 'n it would be best if the conversation is kept between us two. I'll explain when I come back, I promise."

Legolas, although puzzled, understood the need for privacy and nodded. Relieved, Jupiter leaned down to place a kiss on top of his head, "I'll be back no later than noon. Go back to sleep."

Humming contently, the blonde's eyes became half-lidded as he muttered, "I love you."

Those three words still never failed to melt Jupiter's heart, the beating of it thundering in his ears.

"I love you, too, sug'."

* * *

When Jupiter pulled up in the driveway, the first thing he saw was Esther on the porch in her rocking chair with two large bowls at her feet - one filled with potato skins and the other filled with peeled potatoes - and in her hands was a half-peeled potato and a sharp small knife. She barely took notice of his arrival and he understood exactly why once he stepped out of his car.

She had the radio playing beside her and was humming along with the old songs that she never gets tired of. Jupiter stood there for a moment as he watched, wincing. It was a bright, sunny day with a little breeze, a perfect day for Esther to relax and cook up a feast for the workers that were currently seeding the spring crops - they were all dear friends to her and although it was strange seeing her doing something so nice, he got used to seeing her show her affection and thankfulness. Through food, of course.

Esther was obviously happy and was reveling in the warmth of the powerful sunshine as she prepped the fresh food. Maybe he shouldn't have come here. It was rare for her to have these kinds of days and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he seriously didn't want to ruin it for her-

"Are ya gonna keep starin' at me or are you gonna help me peel these damn potatoes, punk? I've got a whole lot of hungry men 'n women to feed at noon."

Welp, too late to run away now. With little to no complaint, Jupiter quickly made his way up the stairs of the porch and didn't even need to be told to slip inside the house to wash his hands before coming back out with his hoodie tied around his waist and an extra chair. Settling it next to his grandmother, he sat down and silently took the extra knife handed to him, swiftly peeling his first potato.

"Nice for ya to stop by, seemed like you were takin' your sweet time on your damn honeymoon. Tch, I should still whoop yo ass for gettin' married without your damn grandmother there."

Jupiter had the decency to look at least a little sheepish as he smirked, "Sorry, hag. It happened outta nowhere 'n-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, I know how love works, I ain't that old to forget." Esther said, looking as if she wanted to smack him in the head with the crop in her hand, "I'm just glad ya told me the both of y'all were engaged. Wasn't expectin' to get another call right after tellin' me the both of ya's got fuckin' married - I can't believe that sweet boy was the one who encouraged it! Mm-mm-mm." She shook her head in disappointment as she pursed her lips, grabbing another potato.

The redhead shrugged, "I'm happy.  _We're_  happy."

"You better be, you lil' bastard, I ain't dealin' with your depressin' shit anymore when it comes to girlfriends, boyfriends, or - God forbid - fuckin' spouses."

"I thought you loved seein' me in pain." Jupiter asked in genuine confusion.

Esther looked at him knowingly, "Oh, I do, trust me, you're just annoyin' as hell when ya get like that."

Jupiter nudged her arm with his elbow and got a painful jab back that made the both of them smirk and chuckle to themselves. Then, they fell into a comfortable silence as they continued peeling. The only thing that filled the air was the radio, the scraping of their knives against the flesh of the potatoes, and occasional shouts from afar from Esther's workers.

It didn't take long for them to reach the last stretch of peeling, but Jupiter knew that there was a lot more work ahead of him. Now that Esther strung him along, there was no escape. It really wasn't a big deal, he secretly liked helping her out, plus he got free food out of it.

"So why did you come visit me, hm?" Esther asked, "It ain't often ya come here without causin' trouble 'n I know damn well you didn't visit just to peel some fuckin' potatoes."

Jupiter's hands paused before quickly resuming it's repetitive actions, remaining silent. He still had a chance to completely forget about ever asking Esther today, he could just wait another day or maybe even wait until Cana is better so he can ask Anthony-

"Oh, boy, what is it?" The older woman asked exasperatedly as she dropped her last potato in the bowl, "Just tell me. Whatever you gotta say ain't gonna ruin my mood."

"Shut up, I'm still tryin' to decide whether I should or not." He grumbled out in irritation as he, too, finished. Jupiter picked up the large bowl of potatoes easily and walked inside the house, faintly hearing a huff as Esther made to take the skins to the compost bin.

As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, a familiar smell hits him almost immediately. It instantly brought memories from his childhood and he felt as if he was going to cry.

Grandma's greens. Holy shit, how long has it been since he's eaten any?

Shaking his head to himself, he focuses on his task at hand and begins chopping up the potatoes. It wasn't hard to figure out that Esther was using them to make potato salad - he wonders what else she's going to make? Was there going to be her chickpeas? Mac and cheese? Cornbread?

...Chicken?

Esther walked back inside after a few more moments and immediately went to wash her hands. Jupiter blurts out, "I almost forgot how great you are at cookin'. I missed it."

She paused in the midst of drying her hands, appearing stunned at how honest and sentimental his comment was. Recovering, she huffed, "Oh, yeah? Tell me again which's your favorite."

"Fried chicken." Was his immediate answer.

"Of course," Esther chuckled, joining him by cutting up some onions, "It's always the damn chicken. See, I remember when you were a growin' boy 'n you wanted nothin' but chicken. Chicken, chicken, chicken is all you ate - it's a miracle your lil' white ass didn't get fat eatin' all of it, but I still had to cut you off."

Jupiter huffed and tried not to pout, grumbling, "It tastes really good."

"Oh, I know, it's  _my_  recipe." She said, "Now, put the knife down 'n get three more pots of water boilin', 'n then grab the mac 'n chickpeas. You know what to do with 'em."

The man had to hold himself back from dashing to the cabinets to get the pots. It was really hard not to grin in excitement, it's just been so long since Esther cooked his favorite meal and the past months have been so fucking stressful... It was nice to be back home... Even though Esther was still a bitch.

They worked in the kitchen in silence and Jupiter was surprised that he still remembered the usual routine of making this specific meal. The last time he cooked with Esther was back when he was around fifteen years old. It had been a major breakthrough of actually leaving his room and doing something other than going to school... After-

Jupiter took a deep breath after draining the water from the noodles, shaking the strainer a little before setting it aside on a plate so what water was left would continue dripping off or evaporate. "Hey, grandma..."

Esther froze from where she was at the stove, in the midst of stirring up the potato salad. They both knew that it was extremely rare for him to call her by her proper title, those rare times only being when he slips, something horrible happens, or when a serious conversation is approaching. The two latter in which meant that the talk ahead of them had no place for rivalry, insults, etcetera. It's just the two of them. Just family. Just Jupiter and grandma. "Yes, baby?" She answered in an uncharacteristically soft voice. Speaking to him in the way she did when she first met him.

"Can I ask you somethin' about... About dad?"

A noticeable strain in her voice appeared, "What 'bout him, hun?"

"His work. You know how he taught me everythin', gave me all those textbooks, answered every question I asked him? There was somethin' he would never tell me about." He licked his lips before turning around to properly face her, "Grandma, do you have anythin' of his from his research about other worlds?"

Esther looks up, the corners of her lips tilted into a stern frown. She shook her head slightly as she stepped away from the bowl, wiping her hands on her apron, "Where did this come from, Jupiter? Lynx was very open to you so I don't see why he would-"

" _Please_." Jupiter said, his fists clenched, "I  _need_  to know. Do you know anythin'? Anythin' at all?"

Conflict appeared on her face. He knew that she knows something and he was desperate to know, he  _needed_  to. Esther drew in a trembling breath before turning all of the knobs on the stove so that the flame remained low. She then rushed out of the kitchen, but not before making a gesture of her hand and saying, "Follow me."

Jupiter wiped his hands off with a towel before following after. The walk was quick and short, having gone through a hallway before arriving in a familiar room.

Ma and Dad's room.

Esther took her time walking into the bedroom as Jupiter remained at the doorway with his arms crossed, appearing to be unsure of whether or not he should step inside. It's been years since he has seen his parents' room and it appeared untouched. All clothes and personal items had been removed from the bedroom - it was a year before their death did the three of them move into Jupiter's current house.

The older woman makes her way to the old desk that's settled against the wall and opened up the drawer, reaching in and removing the bottom plank of it with some effort before taking out a flash drive. She stared down at it before snapping herself out of her daze and returning to Jupiter, offering the small stick.

Jupiter's lips were pressed into a thin line as he took it with a trembling hand, "You... You had this and... and you never told me?"

"He didn't want me to give it to you, Jupiter." Esther said, staring back into his betrayed gaze head-on, "Not until you were older 'n asked for it directly. Back then, he didn't want you to get involved, he never wanted you involved, 'cause everyone who got involved - their lives were ruined." Jupiter's mind immediately went reeling back to Anthony.

Esther continued, "But he knew it wouldn't be fair if he didn't give you a choice. Continue your life normally 'n continue doin' what you've been doin'... Or follow his path. Everythin' that's on that thing I gave you will change you 'n just like him, you're gonna want to know more 'n more until ya can't get enough. You'll become Lynx, Jupiter. Not the Lynx you knew growing up - the Lynx that he's hidden from you."

Jupiter looked down at the flash drive, contemplating. He already knew what his choice was going to be, they both did, but... What kind of information was in this flash drive that made Lynx so secretive? To the point where even past death he would still hide it?

A bitter smile crosses his face, "My life isn't normal anymore, grandma. I think... I'm already deep in this. Too deep. Whether I like it or not, I need to see the research my dad hid from me for so long."

Esther nods her head. She looked at him strangely for a long moment before taking another deep breath, "How 'bout we get back to cookin', hm? We got four more hours left, get a move on."

* * *

Pale fingers ran through oily, blonde locks. A frown was reflected in the mirror along with a wince when the thin digits abruptly stopped at a large knot. It hasn't been long since she's bathed, but it's been long enough for her hair to get oily from the lack of care. It was also extremely tangled from not being regularly brushed. She stared at her reflection a little longer, her face void of product - something she has grown used to quickly - revealing bags beneath her bloodshot eyes.

She snapped out of her daze and stripped down until she was bare before stepping into the running shower, not even grabbing her razor as she had once done every time she bathed. Now, however, the need to do it didn't appear all too appealing. All in all, she really just didn't care - something she never thought would ever cross her mind.

She moved robotically beneath the burning hot spray of water, scrubbing the shampoo into her scalp, and then rinsing, scrubbing the conditioner into her scalp, and then rinsing once more. Washing her body down with soap was done through a daze as well, and she ignored the way her skin became red and irritated from the scrubbing and hot water.

After standing there for a minute or so, she shut the water off and stepped out to dry off. This, too, was a slow process and she barely noticed the way her body shivered from the cold that enveloped her body. Her shivering only stopped when she pulled on her pajamas.

Tossing her clothes and towel into the hamper, she stepped out of the bathroom. She walks over to her dresser and picked up her brush before running it through her hair, gently working the knots out of her hair rather than yanking them out like she was tempted to do just so she could hurry up and go to bed. She needed sleep. She was so tired.

Her eyes widen and a barely audible gasp was pulled out of her when a figure appeared behind her, taking the brush out of her hand. How did she not notice him walking in? How did he get in? Didn't she lock the door?

The brush was now in her hair again, working out small knots as it massaged her scalp. A deep, pleased voice spoke above her, "Hey, there, Bella."

"Ray." She smiled a little, strained, "I didn't know you were still awake."

"Well, surprise, surprise, I am." He chuckled, "I thought I should join you in bed. Our parents aren't coming back home until tomorrow, so we should be in the clear." He huffs as anger flooded into his tone, "Fucking Vallette just had to butt in and ruin everything. Caused us a shit ton of trouble."

"Yeah..." Isabelle said quietly as Ray finished in brushing out her hair.

She tensed slightly when hands gripped her shoulders, but they were quickly rubbed so that they became relaxed again, "Bella... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did Holo make you cry when you went over to his place?"

Isabelle blinked owlishly, "What? No, I told you that I was just being emotional! Do you think I'm lying?"

"No, of course not, babe. I just wanted to make sure. I was scared that you still... still  _love_  him." Ray growled out the word slightly.

Taking a deep, calming breath, one of Ray's hands caressed her shoulder before trailing them to her collarbone. His fingers feathered over the protruding bone, moving up until they reached her neck, tickling it ever so lightly, "I'm sorry, I just... When I saw you like that... I was just so  _angry_. I hate seeing you like that, knowing that someone else put that look on your face."

Her entire body ceased up, her eyes blowing wide as the hand at her neck wrapped around it tightly. Threateningly. Lips brushed against the rim of her ear as he whispered to her.

"Bella, babe... You know I'm the only one that's allowed to make you cry,  _right_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, I proofread this in the middle of the night on a school night.
> 
> If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes please tell me so I can fix it ASAP blah blah blah im tired bai


End file.
